From link
Residents of the hamlet of Lue in NSW's Central West fear that anopen-cut silver mine proposed for development two kilometres from the town mayend up being as much a source of lead as it is of the precious metal.
Bowdens Silver, the mine's proponent, said that silver will remain theoperation's focus and that the mine, 30 kilometres east of Mudgee, is thelargest undeveloped silver project in the country.
If approved, Bowdens Silver will mine silver, zinc and lead over aperiod of 16 years and truck the minerals through Lue and Mudgee. It predictsthe silver produced during the mine's life will yield 71 per cent of its revenue,while 18 per cent will be derived from zinc and 11 per cent from lead, aspokesman for Bowdens Silver said.
But membersof the Lue Action Group, which opposes the mine, claim Bowdens Silver is nothonestly depicting how much lead will be mined or the risks to the community.
Tom Combes, president of the Lue Action Group andcaptain of the local RFS, says that despite the benefits of mining, the risksassociated with the Bowdens Silver proposal are too great.
"The benefits coal mining has brought to theCentral West are undeniable but this is a clear case of the wrong mine at thewrong place with potentially dastardly consequences,'' he said.
"Building an open lead-mine two kilometresfrom a primary school is a scary idea at the best of times but when you add inthat the company operating the mine aren't experienced it becomes downrightterrifying."
The company denies it has little experience inmining, noting Bowdens Silver is a sole purpose company whose management andboard have 'very substantial' experience in mine development.
The Bowden Silver spokesman said the company hasconducted extensive community consultation since taking over the project in2016 and expected to create 320 jobs in construction and 228 jobs inoperations. They have committed to employing people from the local Mid-Westerncouncil region and will not be using a fly-in-fly-out workforce.
Mr Combes says his group sought a "workablesolution" that would see the mine and community co-exist, but that it hasproved impossible. "There's proximity issues, noise pollution issues,threatened property values, trucks, water issues, potential lead poisoning,dust issues, and potential acid mining drainage... the problems just go on andon," he said.
Mr Combes says the project has divided thecommunity, with some people in Lue feeling pressured not to voice theirconcerns.
Chris Pavich, a geological consultant and associatemember of the Geological Society of Australia, opposes the mine due touncertainty surrounding lead mining.
"All we know for sure is that if somethinggoes wrong, and by go wrong, I mean something as little as an unexpectedweather pattern occurs, any exposure to lead can have catastrophicramifications for the development of children. This project is talking aboutregular truckloads of lead, zinc, and silver concentrate exported throughMudgee," he said.
Haydn Washington, an environmental scientist whospecialises in heavy metal pollution of rivers has also lodged a submissionagainst the Bowdens Silver project.
"The pollution from mines like this cancontinue for hundreds of years after a mine has closed, it's society who bearsthe long-term burden of poisoned rivers," he said.
A Bowdens Silver spokesman said the company'sgroundwater and surface water assessments comprehensively address how leachatewould be managed and contained within the mine site.
Public submissions regarding the mine close onMonday.
(20min delay)