Our Commitment
A multi-generational approach
Victory Minerals operates in the historic gold mining town of Ballarat, where mining has been a part of the landscape for over 170 years. As a continuing operator in this region, we recognise the significance of our presence — both in terms of environmental responsibility and community connection - across generations.
Stringent standards
Our operations are subject to close regulation by multiple authorities, including Resources Victoria (RV), Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, and the City of Ballarat, with strict conditions in place to guide how we manage environmental impacts, safety, and amenity.
Victory Minerals operates under more than 100 regulatory licence conditions, issued by:
Resources Victoria (RV)
Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria
City of Ballarat Council
These conditions cover everything from noise and vibration to water, dust, land management, and traffic. Our team is committed to not only meeting these requirements, but exceeding expectations where we can.
We regularly report to regulators and our Environmental Review Committee (ERC), sharing monitoring results and working collaboratively to find better ways of operating.
Working Within The Framework
Air Quality & Dust Mitigation
Management of Air Quality
From Daily condition assessments, real-time monitoring systems, and implementation of controls, Victoria Minerals strives to reduce site emissions so fas as is reasonably practicable.
Key measures include:
Water trucks and recycled water sprays
Polymer dust suppressants
Physical separation between operations and sensitive receptors
Tree line buffer zone between works and sensitive receptors
Biennial testing of shaft ventilation emissions
Any exceedances are reported to the regulator and the ERC, and corrective actions are taken swiftly.
Water Management
Protecting the Yarrowee River
Water is a precious resource, and Victoria Minerals has been monitoring and managing water use at the Ballarat Gold Mine for over 25 years.
Mine water is collected and managed on site to support safe operations and environmental protection. Mine water is either treated and reused on site or discharged in accordance with strict EPA licence conditions.
Our wetland and treatment system is used to assist in naturally reducing metals and salts in mine water prior to discharge.
Regular water quality monitoring is undertaken to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and to support the protection of local waterways and ecosystems.
Discharge Licence Limits (EPA Victoria)
Water discharged to Yarrowee River are managed in accordance with EPA Victoria licence conditions.
Key water quality limits include:
pH: 6.0–9.0
Electrical Conductivity: ≤4000 µS/cm
Arsenic: ≤0.5 mg/L
Iron: ≤1 mg/L
Nitrogen: ≤17 mg/L
Turbidity: ≤30 NTU
Noise & Vibration
Respecting Our Neighbours
We understand that mining in an urban environment comes with unique challenges — and responsibilities. That’s why we’ve carefully designed our infrastructure to minimise noise, placing plants and equipment below natural ground level and away from residential areas.
All underground blasting and surface equipment is monitored for compliance
Crushing and processing are carried out within defined operating hours to limit disturbance
Monitoring Matters
We monitor both natural background noise and site-generated sound to identify opportunities for improvement. Similarly, all blasting is measured using vibration monitors placed around the community to ensure we stay well within regulatory limits. Feedback from neighbours also plays a key role in helping our engineers fine-tune our operations.
Limits are Imposed on Blast Strength
The strength of blast vibration is measured in millimetres per second (mm/sec), which represents the acceleration of the ground caused by a blast. The ANZECC (1990) Technical Basis for Guidelines to Minimise Annoyance specifies that a maximum blast vibration of 10 mm/sec must not be exceeded in residential areas.
These limits are designed to protect the interests of the public by:
Minimising perceptible and nuisance vibration; and
Avoiding structure damage to surface property
Resources Victoria also requires that 95% of all blast vibrations remain under 5 mm/sec.
Land & Biodiversity
Looking After Our Land
Much of the land surrounding the mine was previously cleared during the gold rush and later replanted with softwood pine. Victory Minerals manages these pine buffer zones as part of ongoing land management practices.
Revegetation efforts also includes the use of local native plants to support the restoration of native biodiversity and provide habitat for local wildlife.
A Shared Responsibility
Our Pride
Victory Minerals believes that responsible mining is achieved through collaboration with our employees, community, and regulators.
We take a proactive approach to environmental management, including responding to community concerns, undertaking rehabilitation activities such as planting native vegetation, and reporting environmental performance to the Environmental Review Committee (ERC).
We are committed to operating responsibly in the Ballarat region and maintaining transparency in how we manage our environmental impacts.
If you would like more information about our environmental performance or to view monitoring reports, please contact us.