Gippsland Critical Minerals (GCM) has opened the gates of its Fingerboards site to registered community members and industry stakeholders, showcasing a major milestone at its new test facility.
Project manager Alison Heskey and site manager Marcus Binks led tours of the site on Monday, providing a firsthand look at the Fingerboards Mining and Rehabilitation Demonstration Pit (MRDP). The large-scale trial pit, which has reached its final dimensions of 170 metres long, 55 metres wide, and 22 metres deep, represents a successful collaboration with the local workforce.
Over a 13-week excavation period, local
East Gippsland contractors worked more than 3270 hours and moved approximately 48,000 cubic metres of material to complete the first stage of the program.
The MRDP is a requirement under GCM’s retention licence to conduct large-scale rehabilitation trials. It was also a key recommendation made by the independent Inquiry and Advisory Committee (IAC) and a direct request from many community members in public submissions during the previous Environmental Effects Statement (EES) process. GCM is currently embarking on a new EES process slated to run over the next 18 months.
During the tours, Mr Binks gave a hands-on demonstration of how rare earth minerals are extracted and processed using a gravity spiral separator. The system utilises water to separate high-value minerals from the overburden, with Mr Binks noting that 70 to 80 per cent of the water used is recycled.
GCM technical project director Stefan Wolmarans praised the quality of work delivered by regional businesses, noting that the phase brought together mining engineers, agronomists, environmental specialists
and local suppliers.
President of the Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and industry, Trevor Hancock, said he is pleased the mine is progressing according to the strict environmental
requirements of both the Commonwealth and State Governments.
“Given that no part of the operation is illegal, the Chamber, from the outset, has actively promoted the use of Bairnsdale based businesses to have maximum contract opportunities, local employment and training growth and real long term capital works and social uplift through royalties,” he said.
Mr Wolmarans explained that only about five per cent of the total ore mined at the Fingerboards is recovered as heavy mineral concentrate (HMC). Once separated, the HMC is stored in sealed shipping containers for further metallurgical testing.
The company highlighted that strict environmental safeguards are active on-site, including time-lapse cameras, groundwater monitoring, a water sampling program and real-time dust and noise tracking. Following the completion of the excavation, specialised instruments have now been installed to collect data on water volume and quality through all processing stages.
The next phase of the trial will simulate full-scale mining lifecycle operations. Tailings generated during processing will be placed into a designated cell within the pit before being covered with the remaining stockpiled overburden. The site will then be reshaped to its final landform, with subsoil and topsoil replaced so seeding trials can establish and test various pasture scenarios.
Federal Labor Senator for Victoria, Senator Raff Ciccone said the Fingerboards Project represents the type of critical minerals development that can strengthen Australia’s economic resilience, diversify global supply chains and create long-term benefits for East Gippsland and regional Victoria.
“As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, projects like Fingerboards can help secure the materials needed for advanced manufacturing and defence technologies, while supporting 400 construction jobs and more than 300 ongoing direct jobs,” he said.
“In February 2026, the Fingerboards
Project was awarded Major Project Status by the Albanese Government in recognition of its national significance to Australia’s
critical minerals strategy.”
The trial is overseen by experienced GCM staff alongside specialist advisors, including Grounded Resource Advisory.
Community tours of the demonstration pit are continuing. Local residents interested in inspecting the infrastructure and speaking with project staff can register via the
company’s website.
