The NSW Independent Planning Commission has conditionally approved a controversial lead and silver mine in central-west NSW.
The Bowdens Silver Mine is a proposal for an open-cut silver, lead and zinc mine near the village of Lue, east of the popular tourist town of Mudgee.
The mine would extract and process about 30 million tonnes of ore over a 23-year lifespan.
The commission acknowledged community concerns about human health, water sources, social impacts, Aboriginal cultural heritage and biodiversity when making its decision.
However, it said it was satisfied the project could meet the relevant requirements for protecting human health and safety and that, on balance, the project was in the public interest.
During the approvals process the project received almost 2,000 public submissions, with more than half objecting to the mine.
The commission also acknowledged concerns about dust containing lead impacting humans and collecting in nearby soil and water tanks, but said it was satisfied total exposure to all metals would remain below levels that were likely to result in health impacts.
Nearby resident Janet Walk said she was disgusted by the approval, which allows the construction of the mine within a few kilometres of the primary school at Lue.
"Our next generation don't bear any value compared to what the extraction industry has promised people," she said.
"Once lead is in the food chain that's it, it's over."
Ms Walk, who has a horse stud and runs short-stay holiday accommodation in the region, said the approval was also worrying for tourism in the broader region.
"It's absolutely outrageous, I am absolutely disgusted," she said.
Construction may start next year
The company behind the proposal, Silver Mines Limited, said the project was the largest undeveloped silver deposit in Australia and one of the biggest in the world.
Managing director Anthony McClure said planning was ongoing but the company was aiming to start construction in 2024.
"We will be the largest silver mine in Australia over time," he said.
"It's a massive resource and yes, we have initial mine development, but there's expansion opportunities that we are already working on."
Mr McClure said some in the community had been spreading misinformation about the mine proposal.
"[The assessments] have not indicated any detrimental effects to health and there's been a bit of scaremongering in the community, but that's a bit of a sideshow really," he said.
"The science has been done and the authority has been granted."
