Australian opal miners fear for industry as land converted to national park

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Opal miners in Queensland, Australia are concerned about the future of their industry as the land they source the gemstones from is being converted into a national park. The Queensland government bought the land with a 21-million-Australian-dollar anonymous donation. For the past thirty years, Robbey Vinnicombe has been looking through red dirt in search of a rare treasure. A gemstone that can only be found in this remote part of Queensland: the Boulder Opal. “It’s the most beautiful gemstone on earth. I’ll be here for the rest of my life if I can,” says Vinnicombe. But Vinnicombe and many other miners who work here hold great concerns for the future of their industry. Vergemont, the former cattle station on which Vinnicombe holds mining leases, will soon be transformed into a national park. “There’s dozens and dozens and dozens of stakeholders here that have been here a lifetime and generations, you know what I mean? And we’re just completely ignored, as though we don’t even exist,” says Vinnicombe. The state government argues they acquired the land to preserve crucial habitats for vulnerable and endangered species. “It’s significant for the biodiversity that’s in that part of the world,” says Geoff Penton of Desert Channels Queensland. Existing mining operations can carry on working in some of the property’s locations but for miners with leases that are close to expiring, the future is less certain. The Queensland Department of Resources says it will work with the industry to help prospectors. “We’re all small companies. We’re family companies. We’ve invested our life in this,” explains miner and shop owner James Evert. Each year, the industry brings in 14 million Australian dollars to the area. “I can't see the Winton Shire without Opal in it. It’s so important to us. What we need is certainty for this industry,” says Winton Mayor Cathy White. This article was provided by The Associated Press.