General News
19 September, 2025
Astron begins pipeline works ahead of Donald Mine decision
Astron Limited will begin laying an 11-kilometre water pipeline near Minyip after the Victorian Government approved the Donald Project work plan.
The pipeline will run from Minyip Rural Pump Station along Gun Club Road to the mine site off Walsh Lane.
It will supply water for construction and future operations.
However, the early project-enabling work is happening before a Final Investment Decision, which is expected later this year.
Site construction would follow after that has been secured.
Contractors will use a combination of trenching and boring to install the pipeline.
All work will be in the public road reserve.
Grant Huggins, Donald Project General Manager Operations, said the pipeline constituted part of the project's enabling works, preceding the final investment decision.
"The pipeline is part of the project-enabling works ahead of the final investment decision,” he said.
"It will carry water for construction and operations.
"During installation, we'll prioritise maintaining access for neighbouring landowners and road users.”
Weekday work hours will be from 7am to 6pm daily through to December.
Weekend work will be by exception, a spokesperson for the project said.
Traffic control will maintain access for road users accessing properties along the route.
The Donald Mineral Sands Project is situated about 300 km north-west of Melbourne in Victoria's Wimmera region, with its boundary located approximately 15 kilometres east of Minyip.
The total Donald deposit contains approximately 2.4 billion tonnes of ore, hosting commercial quantities of zircon, titanium, and associated rare earth elements.
Donald Mineral Sands Pty Ltd was granted a mining licence (MIN5532) in August 2010 for a mineral sands mining and processing operation.
In July 2024, this licence was transferred to The Donald Project Pty Ltd (parent company Astron Limited).
The license permits the company to develop up to 2784 hectares over a period of 20 years.
In June 2025, Resources Victoria approved the work plan for the project, paving the way for the commencement of construction activities to prepare for mining.
In approving the plan, Resources Victoria said it conducted a thorough assessment of the company's intended approach to the work.
This included ensuring any risks to the environment or the public were minimised and all conditions resulting from the Environmental Effects Statement process were met.
Under the approved work plan for Stage One, the company will mine and process 7.5 million tonnes of mineral sands annually over 19 years.
The site will operate 24 hours every day of the year.
The excavation method involves open-pit mining, which will be progressively rehabilitated to re-establish the former agricultural land use, with some additional areas of native vegetation.
Resource Victoria stated on their official site that progressive rehabilitation means only 700 hectares of land would be disturbed at any time during mining.
A rehabilitation bond will need to be lodged, with the bond amount to be determined by Resources Victoria prior to construction.
also requires the company to consult regularly with the community throughout the project's life.
While Astron owns the land that will be used in Stage One of the project, further land acquisition will be required for the project to continue.
Some landowners in the path of the next stages say they remain unwilling to sell or lease their farmland for mining.