Rio Tinto's bid to explore for minerals in jarrah forest in Western Australia's south west has been met with strong opposition, with local community and conservation groups calling for the forest to be protected.
The multinational mining giant has submitted 10 applications to "examine the potential for battery minerals including lithium and nickel" near the town of Dwellingup, about 100 kilometres south of Perth.
"The application areas do not contain or overlap reserves or conservation zones with International Union for Conservation of Nature listings," a spokesperson for Rio Tinto said in a statement to the ABC.
"Any future exploration activity … would be undertaken in accordance with Rio Tinto exploration's commitment to sound environmental management … and in consultation with community stakeholders."
A hearing in the state's Warden's Court today was attended by dozens of people aligning with conservation groups and local community organisations.
Local artist Monique Tippett was one of them and expressed her concern over the potential for more mining on the town's doorstep.
"It would just be devastating [if the permits are granted] for not just me, but everybody who loves the forest."
Ms Tippett said she feared mining activities so close to town would also hurt tourism and the local economy.
"All the visitors who come are coming here to escape the city; they're coming here to experience nature," she said.
"It could stop people from coming here to enjoy themselves … that affects all the businesses in town."
Ms Tippett said it was not the first time miners had come to town.
"We're just getting mining coming from all directions," she said.
"We've got Alcoa … we've got Rio Tinto now looking at 10 new tenements … two very close to Dwellingup, and then we've got South 32 as well," she said.
Locals fear further environmental impacts
Sharon Parker-Brown has lived in the area for 26 years. She said if the permits were granted, it would allow Rio Tinto exploration rights on her property.
"I've gotten past being angry that my property is there — now I'm just devastated for the trees and the animals because I can find somewhere else to live," she said.
"Unfortunately, all the little critters that live there have got no hope.
"A lot of the areas that Rio Tinto wants to explore are dieback-free areas, so there's the potential risk of them spreading dieback as well."
The ABC understands the case is one of the most highly contested matters that has appeared before the Warden's Court.
The court today heard there were 1,500 separate objections to the 10 tenements.
Dane Chandler, appearing for Rio Tinto, told the court there were 136 individual objectors, many of whom submitted multiple objections for different applications.
Warden Genevieve Cleary said, while everybody was entitled to object, she was concerned that the court should run effectively and efficiently.
She told the court there were common interests within the environmental objections and called upon the parties to confer on how best to proceed.
The matter was adjourned until February 2023.
