Owner and operator of the Ballarat Gold Mine Victory Minerals has been issued an infringement notice for failing to report an incident to regulator Resources Victoria after a fire occurred at its mine at Mt Clear.
Resources Victoria says privately held Victory Minerals failed to notify it of the incident for more than two days. Reportable incidents include fires, explosions, the failure of slopes or tailings dams, airborne rock from blasting, spillage of harmful substances, and breaches of licence or work authority conditions.
Companies that hold a minerals licence are legally required in Victoria to report such incidents to the Chief Inspector as soon as possible.
Resources Victoria Chief Inspector Renee Palmer says detailed, accurate and timely reporting of incidents by site operators helps ensure risks can be promptly identified and immediately addressed.
“Any unexpected event linked to site activities that is likely to cause significant harm to individuals, the environment or operations at the site must be reported to Resources Victoria,” Palmer says.
Victory Minerals operates a ‘high-grade ‘underground gold mine at Mount Clear, drawing on over 170 years of local mining heritage.
Mining activities at Ballarat initially flourished during the 19th century, making the region one of the richest alluvial goldfields in the world. Although mining slowed through the 20th century, the company’s website says modern underground mining methods have revived Ballarat’s gold industry.
Last week, the regulator put on notice work authorities and mining licensees around Cann River, Swifts Creek, and Orbost in Victoria’s far east to expect a visit during November, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Resources Victoria aims to inspect every mine and quarry in the state at least once by mid-2026.
This month’s inspections are part of a broad program to ensure licensees and authority holders are meeting the obligations in their work plans, which includes appropriately addressing risk at their sites.
Operators failing to properly manage risk at their sites will be required to take corrective action.
The current phase of inspections follows a successful series of visits to sites around Omeo, Orborst, Bairnsdale, and Cann River in June.
Issues identified by the regulator include inadequate signage, inappropriate fuel management, unsecured gates and fencing, derelict equipment left on site and poor waste storage.
In September, Resources Victoria lauded the overwhelming majority of mine sites inspected in 2025 having been assessed as low risk, with no major risks identified, as reported.
Across the state, between February and the end of June 2025, more than 350 sites were inspected across 50 local government areas. At about 40% of sites, inspectors required the operator to take action to address minor issues identified and the majority of these have been resolved in the required time without the need for any enforcement action.
Site operators should report incidents to Resources Victoria on 1300 240 308.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Victory Minerals
