Chinese in Aieleron
Emma Haskin
ABC NT Country Hour
At the beginning of the year Arafura resources announced a $24 million partnership with Chinese investors to mine rare earths in Central Australia.
The project is on Aileron station 140 kilometres north of Alice Springs.
Owner Gary Dann says he met a delegation from East China Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau who were visiting the site for the first time recently.
"I think it's a good thing for everybody. Employment for the property, we're looking at do a certain amount of the work, otherwise we lose another area of the property where we've got no income because once the activity is there the cattle won't stay there.
"All we're saying is that we should have the opportunity to move the ore, dust suppression and regeneration of the mine in certain areas. We don't want anything for nothing."
Gary says there is an agreement with Arafura Resources.
"We've helped them out in every way with graders and doing preliminary work.
"Naturally we'll be using Indigenous labour where we can and it's our mob on our station...and I think we'll be looked on favourably."
Gary was concerned with the global slowdown whether the mine would go ahead.
"I think with the with the investment of the Chinese that things are moving along and it will put the operations back up to 12 months or possibly slow it down but it looks at this stage, as we understand it that it will be a goer now that the Chinese have invested."
The project is on Aileron station 140 kilometres north of Alice Springs.
Owner Gary Dann says he met a delegation from East China Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau who were visiting the site for the first time recently.
"I think it's a good thing for everybody. Employment for the property, we're looking at do a certain amount of the work, otherwise we lose another area of the property where we've got no income because once the activity is there the cattle won't stay there.
"All we're saying is that we should have the opportunity to move the ore, dust suppression and regeneration of the mine in certain areas. We don't want anything for nothing."
Gary says there is an agreement with Arafura Resources.
"We've helped them out in every way with graders and doing preliminary work.
"Naturally we'll be using Indigenous labour where we can and it's our mob on our station...and I think we'll be looked on favourably."
Gary was concerned with the global slowdown whether the mine would go ahead.
"I think with the with the investment of the Chinese that things are moving along and it will put the operations back up to 12 months or possibly slow it down but it looks at this stage, as we understand it that it will be a goer now that the Chinese have invested."