Yeah, Heron were always in danger of making a mess of that one....

"Unless the written approval of the Environmental Officer, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is first obtained, the use of drilling rigs, scrapers, graders, bulldozers, backhoes or other mechanised equipment for surface disturbance or the excavation of costeans is prohibited"

That appears to be a permit to drill holes and put in sumps - required for any drilling or other exploration activities. Not a consent to mine a mine. I think they're called a PWP or Program of Works or something like that. Havent had to do one myself - not my field. Someone else might be able to expand further.

Yeah, Heron were always in danger of making a mess of that one. I worked that out when I sat down with them in their Sydney office, about the Manager's position they had coming up back in 2016. Dodged a bullet there when they dragged the chain getting ready for actual interviews. I almost bought 50 acres outside Tarago. Nice spot. Not so nice having to mine next to a green waste gas powered rubbish dump in the old pit though, or so I'm told.

Unfortunately they thought the word "just" applied to mining. From talking to a few others who've had to do the work it's been a struggle.