How Could Mining Impact Us?

An Australian mining company's prospecting for metal minerals across Galloway has raised serious concerns of toxic pollution, radioactive release, ecological damage and the destruction of historically and culturally important sites and protected habitats in the Glenkens.

Walkabout Resources/ JDH Exploration have secured Crown licences from the Scottish Government to prospect for minerals within three areas of Galloway centred around Newton Stewart, Gatehouse of Fleet and New Galloway.

Map of areas with Crown prospecting licences © JDH Exploration - this can be viewed at www.jdhinscotland.com as part of their 2022 Gatehouse of Fleet Community Council presentation.

Walkabout has been drilling 200 metres down through the water table into galena-rich rock looking for gold and silver, as well as minerals associated with renewable technologies.

Galloway has a history of mining across the region, being rich in copper, lead (galena, wolfanite, etc), silver, gold, zinc, arsenic and other rare earth metals. However, metal sulphide mining is notoriously difficult and comes with significant unavoidable environmental impacts and risks to health from minerals which are toxic and cumulative in the body.

Water courses are particularly vulnerable to pollution of drinking water supplies, rivers and marine areas. Thousands of tonnes of earth and rock would need to be blasted, removed and processed; again, often with hazardous processing to remove the mineral from the ore, eg mercury amalgamation.

There is a very real risk of radioactive release of uranium, thorium and strontium as the rock in Galloway is exceptionally heavily metamorphosed and extremely hard, and therefore blocks short wave microwave signals, trapping radioactive molecules within the rock structure.

Walkabout/JDH have focused on old mine sites and spoil heaps, surveying areas around Glentrool, Talnotry, Blackcraig and Pibble Hill. They have conducted drilling at Blackcraig/Palnure over the past year and have recently begun to survey in the Glenkens.

Walkabout have to date not conducted themselves well in terms of community engagement. They have been in Galloway since 2018, and only late last year did it become wider public knowledge due to a local resident in Blackcraig publicising the fact.

The company has been evasive, uncooperative and often unable to answer many of the questions put to them, and the information they have provided has been poor, often incomplete and contradictory. At this point the company has decided to hold no more public meetings but instead to rely on restricted communication via community councils and drop-in sessions.

In the current climate, there needs to be stronger policy for sustaining intrinsic geological substructures and the biodiversity of ecosystems of rocks, rivers, marine life and water courses, and although not required, the company have chosen not to adopt the Scottish model for community consultation.

Mine sites are difficult and challenging for local communities on a social, environmental and financial level. If there is to be mining in Galloway, there needs to be an open dialogue between all parties - national government, local government, business interests and communities.

Mining is paradoxical as there is a need for minerals in various capacities to facilitate the transition to zero carbon, and for many consumer goods. The war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, that has lasted for 20 years and claimed five million lives, has been driven by mining for the minerals which run our mobile phones, electronics and cars. Is it right that we, in Scotland, continue to offload our responsibilities; out of sight out of mind? Or do we look at alternatives where mining isn’t needed, instead 'mining' waste consumer electronics or furthering developments in zinc or sodium ion or carbon batteries, etc.

Mining in Galloway needs to be very carefully considered in social, economic, cultural, historical and environmental terms. The Galloway Mines Action Group has been established to ensure that these discussions take place at the highest level, that proper evidence-based research informs the decision making, and that Galloway is protected from irresponsible mining.

Chris Helson, Galloway Mines Action Group

For further information the Galloway Mines Action Group can be found on Facebook, as well as another local group called Galloway Against Mining.