Government proposals to open up conservation land for mining have sparked vigorous debate.
Advocates argue we need minerals because they're used in so many consumer products and claim modern mining techniques have minimal impact on the environment. But opponents believe some areas should be off limits and say consumers don't want to buy minerals sourced from areas of high conservation value.
We look at the mining debate.
Highlights of this report
What's proposed
Just over 7000 hectares of public conservation land is being proposed for removal from Schedule 4. Read more
Conservation values
Areas proposed for removal from Schedule 4 include priority sites for habitat protection. Read more
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