Western Minerals N. L. (the proponent) has identified a bentonite clay resource in a series of lake beds in the Watheroo area, some 250km north of Perth. Approval for mining of all but one of the deposits has already been obtained and approval for processing the ore material is pending normal processes under the Mining Act.

One of the lakes, called Lake E, is within the Watheroo National Park and, under the provisions of the Government's Resolution of Conflict policy, an area including Lake E has been excised from the national park and declared as a "C Class" reserve. The proposed mining of the Lake E deposit is the subject of this proposal.