An online protest group formed to co-ordinate opposition to mining activity in Galloway has gathered almost 1,000 supporters in three days.
Galloway Against Mining was set up on Facebook on Saturday and by yesterday morning membership had climbed to 966.
Campaigners decided to created the forum following a heated public meeting on in Newton Stewart last week.
The event, organised by prospecting company JDH Exploration, heard community liaison officer Nigel Bradley concede there had been “mistakes” over community engagement on mineral survey work done so far.
Blackcraig man Billy McWhirter, one of the co-ordinators of Galloway Against Mining, was thrilled with the public response so far to the campaign.
He told the News: “It’s fantastic.
“I’m proud to be among so many people that have come together in such a short time.
“Each one of us makes a difference and together we can make change.”
Stockport-based JDH, now wholly owned by Australia-based mining giant Walkabout Resources, has secured five-year mineral prospecting rights from Crown Estate Scotland for three 250 square kilometre blocks in the hills behind Newton Stewart, Gatehouse and Dalry.
JDH has identified the Blackcraig-Talnotry zone west of Cairnsmore of Fleet and hills south-west of Loch Dee as particular “areas of interest”.
At last week’s meeting, the company said that if initial aerial and ground surveys show promise deeper boreholes will be sunk and core samples analysed to gain a fuller picture of the quality and extent of ore deposits.
Gold, silver, lead, copper, zinc and nickel are among the metals detected so far – but whether extracting them would be economically viable has yet to be determined.
In a letter to local politicians, Galloway Against Mining member Nic Crosbie said: “My main concern is in respect of the impact to the ecology of the area.
“Should a mine be established in this area, the impact to the land has potential to be immeasurable.
“We already have scars on the land from historical mining, large slag heaps which have finally got vegetation growing.
“More mining in this area will cause further scars and damage, and no matter how “eco-friendly” these mining operations claim to be, they will damage our ecology.”
In its public information package, the company said: “JDH firmly believes that any eventual commercial mine will have a positive impact on the growth, development, diversification and regeneration of the local and regional economy in a sustainable manner.
“The use of underground mining techniques also ensures that this economic growth is realised sustainably and with minimal environmental impact.”
