But Adelaide Resources, which is exploring Yorke Peninsula farm land for gold and copper and put the offer in writing to landholder Scott Newbold, insists it was not a bribe.
“It was Scott Newbold’s idea, not ours,” Adelaide Resources managing director Chris Drown told the Sunday Mail.
“He said a carton of beer might be a nice sort of gesture. It wasn’t supposed to be a bribe.”
Mining company Rex Minerals is drilling after discovering 1.2 million tonnes of copper at its Hillside project, south of Ardrossan, and Adelaide Resources is hoping for similar success on its tenement.
Mr Newbold said the discovery combined with surging commodity prices meant the mining companies were like “bees around a honeypot”.
Adelaide Resources has already worked with some 200 landholders on the Yorke Peninsula this year for soil sampling and had hoped to collect samples from Mr Newbold’s property.
The “gesture of friendship” was made to Mr Newbold in an email from Adelaide Resources exploration geologist Tanya Badenhorst, which Mr Drown admitted he “probably did” approve. “I was wondering if we offered you a carton of beer (or something similar) as a good will gesture if that would suit you?” the email said.
“We would be more than happy to offer you a token to let you know we appreciate your consent to take samples from your land.”
Mr Drown said no beer had actually changed hands. The offer came after Mr Newbold, 48, told the mining company he did not want them taking soil samples from his land at Alford, north of Kadina, when they served him with a notice of their intent to do so in accordance with the Mining Act.
Mr Drown said because Mr Newbold did not lodge a formal objection, Adelaide Resources could legally enter his property but decided to respect Mr Newbold’s wishes despite him being “very difficult”. “We only enter with absolute consent, otherwise it’s too hard,” Mr Drown said.
Mr Newbold believes landholders should be compensated when mining companies take soil samples from their land because farmers have to spend time checking on mining staff to ensure they are not damaging the property.
He said a carton of beer was not what he wanted but had suggested Adelaide Resources hold a meeting at the local pub to talk with landholders about mining and put them at ease.
“I just thought `you guys aren’t in the real world if you want someone to sign a confidentiality agreement for a carton of beer’,” Mr Newbold said.
Mr Drown said his company had not had the community meeting Mr Newbold suggested. “He wanted us to go and have a big community meeting and buy everyone a beer,” Mr Drown said. “We haven’t done one and maybe that’s an error of judgment on our part.
“We’re aware the anti-exploration movement on the peninsula is gaining steam and we’re very concerned about it, we see it spiralling where our rights as titleholders (are compromised).”
Asked what he meant, Mr Drown said: “The sort of thing that Scott is stirring up. For some reason he’s taking it upon himself to lead a movement against exploration and mining based on a misunderstanding of the rights of both parties.”
Despite its legal rights, Adelaide Resources has not entered Mr Newbold’s property and says it will not do so without his consent.
Meanwhile, Mr Newbold has made a submission for changes to the Draft Mining Regulations 2011 as part of the public consultation phase.
He wants compensation when mining companies conduct soil testing, greater communication between both parties and tighter restrictions on when mining companies are allowed access to farms.
“When I found out regulations could be changed, I thought now is the time. Mining is important but so is farming,” Mr Newbold said.
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Defiant Farmer Offered Beer By Mine Company