Desal plant, mine stirs anger in WA

Environmentalists and Aboriginal community members are concerned about plans to build a huge open pit iron ore mine in WA's south-west.

There are claims that plans to build a huge open pit iron ore mine near Albany in Western Australia will cause extensive damage to both the countryside and a stretch of pristine coastline.

Local environmentalists and members of the Aboriginal community, say they are also concerned the development will be an eyesore and will disrupt their community.

However, the Chinese-owned company behind the project, Grange Resources, insists it's doing everything in its power to minimise the impact on the community and land.

At the centre of the dispute is the push for a desalination plant, WA Correspondent Jennifer Curtis reports.