A landcare group's successful court bid to halt progress on Australia's largest known undeveloped silver deposit has sparked debate over how the decision will impact the mining industry. / (min cost $ 0 ) or signup to continue reading The NSW Court of Appeal invalidated Bowdens Silver's planning approval for a lead and silver mine in the NSW central west village Lue on Friday following community opposition and environmental fears. The company had said the mine, two kilometres from a school, would operate safely and worried locals could take up free lead testing to allay fears of poisoning from dust.
But its project came unstuck over the process to approve construction of a high-voltage power line required for mine operations. Mudgee Region Action Group said it was delighted with the court decision but felt the responsibility to act should not have rested on the community's shoulders. "We can't help but feel that it shouldn't fall to community groups like ours to have to spend the time and money we do to hold the (state government and planning commission) to account," the group said.
"The NSW planning legislation for state significant developments is clearly not working and it needs to be fixed." The decision had immediate ramifications for Bowdens' parent company, ASX-listed Silver Mines Limited. Its shares plummeted 40 per cent after exiting a trading halt, wiping $90 million from the company's value.
Greens MP and mining spokesperson Cate Faehrmann said the court victory wa.