Unimin charged with illegal sand mining on North Stradbroke | The Courier-Mail

AMERICAN minerals giant Unimin has been charged with illegal sand mining on North Stradbroke Island.

The State Government filed the charges, which carry penalties of almost $800,000, in Cleveland Magistrates Court yesterday.

The move comes after Unimin this week lost a Supreme Court fight with the Government over the legality of some its lucrative sand-mining operations on North Stradbroke.

Unimin had been under investigation by the Government for 12 months for allegedly removing sand from the island against the law.

Its Queensland offices were raided last December by Environmental Protection Agency officials who seized items including computers and files.

In August, The Courier-Mail revealed the company had been issued with "show cause" notices following "detailed investigations" by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources into mining activities on North Stradbroke.Read More......