General News
11 November, 2025
Rare earth route through Horsham raises concerns
Iluka Resources Ltd management confirmed at a recent information day that the company planned to transport Rare Earth Element Concentrate from its WIM100 project through Horsham to the Western Interstate Freight Terminal (WIFT) at Dooen.
This information raised red flags with acting mayor Brian Klowss, who attended the October event.
Rare earth elements or minerals are distinct from minerals or materials described as critical minerals or raw materials,
Rare Earth Element Concentrate can pose significant toxicity risks to human health due to the naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) it contains, and it's this potential risk to the community that has Cr Klowss concerned.
“Two Iluka officials told me that HRCC was aware of the transport route through Horsham, but as a councillor and now the acting mayor, I thought I would have known about this if that was the case,” he said.
Iluka Resources claimed on its website that it had been engaged with HRCC and a range of stakeholders on the Wimmera Project for several years.
Additionally, it stated that a technical reference group exists for the Wimmera Project, facilitated by the Department of Transport and Planning.
This group comprises several government organisations, including the council, and meets regularly throughout the year to review draft findings from EES studies and provide critical feedback.
“As the acting mayor, I must ask the question on behalf of my fellow councillors and our community, how much information are we not privy to?" he said.
“We need open and transparent dealings in these and all matters.
“Without a bypass or at least a heavy vehicle bypass, trucks carrying the Rare Earth Element Concentrate will travel through our community, possibly through McPherson Street in Horsham, which is the main thoroughfare for most transport from the main connecting highways and includes passing a school.
“If that's the case, we need to be sure that any potential risks of contamination through crashes or other means are taken into account before the mine begins and not after the fact.
"We must have the wellbeing of the whole community at the forefront of this and any projects that could put them at risk."
Council chief executive Gail Gatt echoed the concerns.
“Anything that could negatively impact our community must be addressed now. We must be on the front foot,” she said.
“Without a bypass, any planned route to the WIFT from the Iluka WIM100 depository mine will undoubtedly pass through Horsham Rural City.
“The Environmental Effects Study has not been completed or approved yet, and this is why we need to advocate strongly now for the wellbeing and safety of our community before that process is completed."
Under the Environment Effects Act 1978, Iluka is required to prepare an Environmental Effects Statement to assess the potential environmental impacts of the project.
The EES will require Iluka to conduct several studies, including, but not limited to, biodiversity and habitat, water catchment and hydrology, visual and environmental amenity, social impact, and cultural heritage.
Farmer Russell Heard also attended the meeting and expressed his concerns.
"An Iluka staff member who introduced himself to me as the project manager confirmed the Rare Earth Mineral Concentrate would be transported through Horsham to the WIFT," he said.
"I asked him what precautionary measures would be taken during its transport, and he told me he wasn't sure."
Mr Heard said his concerns extended to the dual handling of the material from trucks onto trains at the WIFT, where there is the potential for contamination to existing food processing businesses already in operation in that space and any future manufacturing, in his opinion.
He said measures should be identified now to ensure community wellbeing and the safety of the Wimmera food bowl and agricultural export industry.
Iluka Responds
An Iluka Resources spokesperson confirmed that the concentrate would be trucked through Horsham, but all necessary precautions would be taken during transportation.
"Trucks will enter Horsham from the west on Wimmera Highway (which becomes Wilson Street), turn left onto Western Highway (McPherson Street), then right onto Henty Highway (Dooen Road), and continue to Freight Terminal Road at Dooen," the spokesperson said.
"The route includes passing the school on McPherson Street."
The spokesperson stated that while all critical minerals contain naturally occurring radioactive material, Iluka has more than 70 years of experience safely handling this material, including in Victoria, where the company previously operated three mines and a mineral separation plant.
"In the case of the Wimmera project, the material will be mined on site and transported to Western Australia for further processing," they said.
"The transport of NORM is regulated under strict international and Australian laws to ensure best-practice safety.
"The material will remain sealed in steel containers throughout transport. Trucks will be placarded in accordance with the Transport Code to identify that the load contains radioactive material.
"Iluka will select a transport provider through a rigorous process to ensure compliance with all regulatory and safety requirements.
"All precautions will be taken to prevent any loss of containment or spill during transport and handling."
In the improbable event of an incident, established response procedures would apply.
"These include securing the area, containing and cleaning up the material, and notifying the Victorian Department of Health as the radiation regulator, as required under Iluka’s Radiation Management Licence," the spokesperson said.
Regarding the protection of existing agricultural businesses in operation near and using the WIFT, they stated that the concentrate would remain sealed in containers at all times.
"At the WIFT, containers are unloaded from trucks and temporarily placed on the concrete handstand before being loaded onto the rail," the spokesperson said.
"There is no requirement to open the containers at any point during transport."
The WIFT is inside the proposed WIM Resource PL Avonbank Mine licence area.
Horsham Rural City Council advised the Mail Times on September 12, 2025, that while the footprint of the WIM Resource Mine does overlap the WIFT, it does not cede any control of the WIFT to WIM Resource.
The proposed Iluka mineral sands mine, approximately 35 kilometres south west of Horsham and 25 kilometres north east of Balmoral in Western Victoria, will comprise an open-pit mine, processing plant, tailings storage facility, and ancillary infrastructure to extract mineral sands from the WIM100 deposit.
Mining activities at the site are expected to continue for 23 years with a mining pit area of about 1600 hectares and an additional 1700 hectares of ancillary infrastructure and stockpiles.
"Iluka staff have been in contact with me since their discussion with Cr Klowss at the information day," Ms Gatt said.
"And I'm pleased to say they are willing to meet with the council.
"I would urge them and any proponents of similar projects in the Wimmera to make contact in the early stages with our council and all councils affected by these projects."