Politics are set to shape the future of New South Wales’ resources sector, following a pledge to establish a single boundary for regional mining communities.
State elections are coming up in March next year for New South Wales and the Labor Government is backing cross-border collaboration, administrative alignment, and resource management strategies.
The current government’s initiatives aim to support communities near state borders and provide consistent regional regulations, helping build a stronger and more sustainable resources sector.
The upcoming election was highlighted at this year’s International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo (IMARC) in Sydney.
In a panel discussing NSW mining yesterday (28 October), NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee says the single border promise can provide investors with confidence in the future of the state’s resources sector.
“This is not just something that’s being driven by political imperatives with the state elections coming up in March next year,” Galilee tells the audience.
Galilee continues to highlight several major projects backed by the NSW Government from the outset, with ongoing support as they navigate legal challenges.
This includes Regis Resources’ (ASX:RRL) McPhillamys Project in Central West NSW, where the Federal Court ruled a heritage protection declaration blocking the proposed $1.3 billion project to be invalid on procedural grounds.
“The Minns Government was very vocal in its support for the McPhillamys Project early on in its term when that project ran into the obstacles that were generated by the Commonwealth Government in relation to the Section 10 issue,” Galilee says.
“They’ve also been very vocal in it, and they’ve been working with Regis to bring that to a positive conclusion, and we hope that’ll happen.
“They’ve been very positive, vocal, and strong in their support for the Bowdens Project. Again, a project that was approved at the New South Wales level but ran into legal issues.
“That’s now with the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission for public hearings, and we hope that we’ll get prototype approval in the near future.”
In August 2024, the New South Wales Supreme Court approved an appeal made by activist group Bingman Catchment Landcare Group, halting the development of Silver Mines’ (ASX:SVL) Bowdens Silver Mine.
The action was against the state government’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC) and Bowdens Silver, challenging the development consent for the project approved by the IPC in April 2023.
However, the project is back on track after the IPC commenced hearings for the reassessment of Bowdens earlier this month.
Silver Mines is expected to receive a final decision on the mine in December, but the company is feeling more positive about the project’s future due to growing community support.
As reported by Mining.com.au, recent research confirmed that almost two-thirds of residents in the Mid-Western Regional Council (65%) feel positive towards the project in New South Wales.
While 24% of residents remain negative about the project, support appears to be stronger in the communities closest to the project, with 79% of residents in Rylstone, Kandos, and Lue feeling positive, while only 15% feel negative.
The original appeal against Bowdens was raised due to environmental concerns, after the IPC failed to evaluate the environmental impacts of a separate 13km power transmission line.
Balancing mining and the environment
Environmental impacts remain a key issue for the mining industry, particularly in NSW.
Galilee says NSW’s mining industry has also faced challenges around climate emissions policy.
“A lot of that uncertainty was generated by a new government coming in with a new set of climate and emissions policies and legislative emissions targets,” Galilee adds.
“It’s been a very dynamic policy environment in that respect, and it’s taken a while for those issues to be determined, to be settled. And I think that’s been a challenge for the industry.
“I see a lot of stability ahead, and I think that we’ve seen very strong commitments from this state government to lock that in and to provide the framework for critical minerals, metals, and coal, giving proponents confidence.
“There’s still more to do, but … I’m optimistic. I think we’re moving into a pretty good space in a policy sense.”
Galilee describes the New South Wales jurisdiction as the “best”, with a “world-recognised, world-class” mining workforce.
Mining dates back more than 230 years in the state, with extensive coal, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and critical minerals resources.
Junior explorers looking to bring more of those resources to the table include Australian Gold and Copper (ASX:AGC), which is focused on building a significant precious and base metals footprint in the South Cobar Basin.
The company is currently awaiting drilling approval to commence a 3,000m campaign at the Evergreen prospect after re-sampling historical core returned new gold intercepts, as reported.
Australian Gold and Copper is an explorer advancing a portfolio of gold, copper, and other base metal projects across NSW.
Mining.com.au is a media partner of IMARC and will be attending the event throughout the week (27–29 October) at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Sydney.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Main image: Mining.com.au
