Bowdens Silver

To Whomit may concern,
In reference to the proposal of the said Bowden Silver mine at Lue NSW.As a concerned property owner at 72 Cox Street Lue,it worries me that the mine will be working just two kilometers from my place of residence..
The noise factor of the mine will be deprimental to my health and well being.
I have grave concerns that the lead dust from the mine will also affect my health.
The waste water is also a concern that it will end up in the Lawson Creek which goes through my property,which will affect my stock and property.
I am strongly against this proposal going ahead
In the event that this mine does go ahead (GOD FORBID) i would expect the mine cooperation to buy my property out to the value of purchasing a property elsewhere and also compensation for the loss of my "Golden Life".and the mental anguish for losing my property that i now will not have the pleasure of living at.
The trucks going through the Town of Mudgee will cause havoc to people.
To my knowledge The Silver Mines Limited have never operated a mine before so can they be trusted to operate such a large and dangerous project.
Please do not make Lue another (GHOST TOWN).
Thank You for listening to my plea
your sincerely
Arthur Eno























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Likely impact of this development to me and my family. Site is less than 1.5 kilometers from my house, affecting our health and lifestyle.
*- contamination of air with Lead dust fallout with potential serve health issues especially to my young grand children, will make it impossible drink our tank water.
*- loss of water table and contamination of Lawson creek which we rely on to water our stock and vegetable garden.
*- Noise as stated in EIS our locality background noise is only 25 decibels but will increase dramatically to over 130 decibels 24hours 7 days week.
*- Loss of income from my Air B&B cabins on my property, no one will want to holiday next to a lead mine.
*- Increase in traffic on Lue road with an excessive number of B-double trucks on a secondary rd with an already poor safety record.
*- Devaluation of my property and inability to sell, who would want buy it.
*- Size, location and construction design of Tailing dam and Acid rock storage dump are not to best practice. Who's going maintain there integrity after the life of mine.
* Environmental impact on local native animals including Koala population, endangered Swift Parrot and Red gum eucalyptus trees. this project will be an environmental disaster.
Suitability Of Site.
Given they propose to build an as yet unproven design of Tailings dam and acid forming rock dump on top of two significant fault lines appears inconceivable.
There is not enough substantiated factual information in EIS as is substantially based on computer modelling rather than actual testing and research. The project cannot survive without contaminated water from Ulan coal mines piped across private property with potential contamination if the pipe line is compromised in any way. There is no guarantee that Ulan mines will provide this water anyway again desk top modeling.
This beautiful peaceful valley has diverse agricultural and tourist industries that will be destroyed for eternity.

I was a Police Officer with NSW Police Force for almost 15 years. During this time I was posted in a rural area and the occupant of the local police residence. A building inspection identified an issue with lead paint within the residence. This immediately raised alarms and concerns, due potential health risks. I was forced to move out and the residence was decommissioned. No one has resided in this property since. I was medically tested for levels of lead in my body. This demonstrates that it only takes a very small amount of lead present in a building to cause residents to vacate.

My partner's family home is in the Lue community close to the Bowden's mine site, that would be exposing lead dust to the air and the surrounding area. This is extremely concerning and I oppose this site for an such mine. Although promises may be made that water sprinklers and other precautionary measures will be used, will Bowden's give a 100% written guarantee that no lead dust will leave the mine site?

If any lead dust was to get into the water system, vegetable gardens or on the roofs where many occupants in the local area collect own drinking water from this would cause serious health impacts and could become fatal for some residents. My partner's family collect rain water that runs from the roof that they use for drinking water and household use. This is common in this area.

My partner's family have livestock (cattle and sheep) that they use for their own consumption, if lead was to get into the waterways or onto the pastures that these livestock eat, my partner's family would then be consuming meat products that have potential lead contamination. Again this is common in this area for many residents.

I spend some time on this property and my partner is very passionate about this property and hopes that it remains in the family as it is very special to her. My partner hopes that this property will be passed on to her children in the future. I will be keeping my lawyer informed of any concerning developments in this matter.

In my opinion Silver Mines Limited should not go ahead with this devastating project with an EIS that has not been thoroughly thought out. I am concerned for the local community and it's members as the company has not provided sufficient information about the development of this project. My understanding is that there has not been substantive nor truthful documentation provided o the local community members and the council that instills any confidence in this project and its potential issues. If Bowden's were considerate of local land owners, there should have been adequate consolidation with the original land owners and full transparency of the impacts that will occur.

Re: State Significant Development No. 5765

The purpose of this letter is to object to the granting of a mining lease to the Bowdens Silver Mine - State Significant Development No. 5765.

I visit Lue and the broader Mudgee district to spend time with family, enjoy the cultural offerings and the natural environment.
My objection is on several grounds, as detailed below.

Water Availability and Use

The region is expected to be impacted by increased temperatures, reduced rainfall and increased bushfire weather, such as strong winds, due to climate change (AdaptNSW).

Yet, the EIS and support documents acknowledges that this mine is expected to result in the loss of baseflow contributions to streamflow due to the impacts on the local groundwater profile. This is both during the operational period and post mining, where the reduction in baseflow is expected to increase, resulting in ongoing water losses to the Macquarie Bogan Unregulated and Alluvial Water Sources – part of the much maligned Murray-Darling Basin.

The EIS indicates most of the water for operations will be obtained on site by breaking through aquifers drawing down the groundwater. This groundwater is critical in maintaining the waterholes along Lawson Creek – waterholes that were vital to keeping stock alive on farms all along Lawson creek during the drought.

Notwithstanding the use of groundwater and local surface water, this project does not have sufficient water for its operations. The EIS indicates they are planning to source about one fifth of their water via a 58km pipeline from Ulan and Moolarben coal mines, however there is yet to be any evidence of an agreement or planning proposal for this pipe. Ulan and Moolarben coal mines are obliged under their mining leases to return all excess water to the Goulburn catchment to help maintain environmental flows – they have no approval to sell eastern-fall water over the Great Dividing Range for a proposed western-fall mine.

Water Contamination

The Social Impact Assessment annexure to the EIS identifies the concerns of stakeholders that the Project may contribute to lead contamination should the TSF walls fail, significantly impact ground and surface water and resulting in potential health issues.

This happened in the wider region already at the Newcrest Cadia Gold Mine, near Orange, in March 2018, resulting in the movement of more than 1.3 million cubic metres of mining waste material. An expert report on the failure of the TSF wall at the gold mine has urged Newcrest to assume that two large dams were at risk of a repeat incident.

The Social Impact Assessment notes that despite the mitigation action to regularly check the dam walls, concerns remain that if the dam was subject to a large influx of water, resulting in flooding, then impacts could still be experienced. A break in the dam wall at the proposed mine would flow into Lawsons Creek and then contaminate the whole water course into the Macquarie Marshes.

Additionally, the EIS and associated studies confirms the excavation below the water table in the open cut pit will expose potential acid forming (PAF) material. When exposed to rain, PAF forms sulphuric acid and can lead to the acidification of groundwater and mobilisation of heavy metals.

Acid mine drainage is considered one of mining’s most serious threats to water resources. There is no comfort in the EIS and supporting documents that the proposed management strategies (e.g. liners, capping and cover systems) will limit seepage.

Terrestrial Ecology

According to the EIS, the Project will result in the removal of over 381ha of native vegetation that has the potential to be a habitat for a range of native fauna, including threatened species.

Those impacts are reportedly not expected to the “significant” but with Australian native flora and fauna facing major extinction events in the near future, does the proponent of a silver mine determine what is “significant”?

There are 370 flora species (267 native), including three threatened ecological communities and a critically endangered ecological community, and 168 fauna species, 14 of which are listed species under the BC or EPBA Acts, including the Koala (vulnerable in NSW and Australia) in the survey area that will be affected by the Project.

The Squirrel Glider (vulnerable in NSW) and the Regent Honeyeater (critically endangered in NSW and Australia) are also predicted to occur within the footprint of the mine.

Only 43% of the required offset area has been accounted for, with the remaining area not documented in the EIS and only demonstrated through “potential” expressions of interest from nearby landholders. Offsetting removed flora species does not automatically result in creating an environment for the revival of fauna species lost through land clearing. These are not like for like actions.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The discussion in the EIS around greenhouse gas emissions bordered on offensive, with over 1.25 million tonnes CO₂-equivalent Scope 1 and 2 emissions projected over the life of the mine (17 years).

It was noted that the emissions estimates are “conservative” as they do not account for the GHG emissions through the increase in vegetation biomass from offset areas to be established for the Project.

This “increase” is to offset the biodiversity impacts from the removal of vegetation. Those offsets have not been established for offsetting carbon emissions, they are required through the BAM assessment because the mine is unable to avoid land clearing.

There is no proposed offsetting to account for the greenhouse gas emissions. It is typical of mining proponents to lump all environmental restoration in one bucket. The habitat restoration of the threatened species and removed habitat should be entirely separate from planting to offset carbon emissions impact – they are separate impacts.

If you take the assumption that a tree (after 10 years of growth) can remove 7 tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere, the proponent will have to plant around 180,000 trees. The CSIRO recommend 30 mature trees per hectare, so the proponent would have to plant around 6000 ha worth of trees – far greater than their biodiversity offset requirements.

Furthermore, the EIS notes the Scope 3 emissions does not provide for “the use of silver in the production of ‘green’ power generation, such as the production of photovoltaic cells and other electrical applications”.

Firstly, the role of silver in the production of PV cells has been dropping and is projected to halve by 2028. However, the point here is that the comment is redundant in establishing the emission impact of the mine - coal mines are not given positive points for the fact their coal goes on to create electricity that powers schools and hospitals.

The attitude in the GHG emissions section of the report is reflective of the attitude of the industry. It is a flippant and destructive attitude and does not lead me to conclude that this proponent would be a good corporate citizen.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to this quote from Anthony McClure, managing director of Silver Mines:

“NSW is a pro-mining state and one of the world’s biggest coal producers. We are in a safe, high quality mining jurisdiction that gives us a real advantage.” (Mining Journal).

The approval process should not only consider the requirements of the SEARs, and the potential environmental impacts and efficacy of the associated mitigation measures. The process should look to determine the future for the people of NSW and the kind of industries NSW supports.

In the right location, silver mines may have a place. Bowdens is not in the right location, and perhaps NSW should reconsider its mining approvals approach and the unenviable label of being a “pro-mining state”.

Sincerely,
[Name withheld]

I object to the project as it fails to adequately address the issues relating to human health with respect to Lead, noise and disturbance to the residents of Lue and landowners who surround the project. Although I now live with my family in the town of Mudgee, we lived on a farm at Lue for 35 years at 1011 Pyangle Road Lue just down from the proposed minesite. I was involved with my wife and family with the Lue Action Group in trying to address the health concerns of a massive lead/silver mine on the doorstop of the Lue village. At no time in the years involved with the Lue action Group did the mining company take seriously any health, noise or disturbance issues that were raised. They were only concerned with getting an EIS approved so they could make a profit and flog the project onto another developer mining company. In my opinion that is all they are interested in and they want Planning to play along with this. If I am wrong then look at the aminosity they have caused local residents with their arrogant attitude towards anything approaching critical analysis of the project.
The EIS does not address how water will be legally piped to the site and should be rejected on that alone. In addition, the EIS does not address how power will be provided to the site. As a local solicitor in Mudgee I have many clients who are landholders who will never grant access for either water or power over their properties so how can a company lodge an EIS without resolving these issues before lodging their EIS?
The impact of lead dust on the village and surrounding landholders will be devastating. Professor Noller an australian leading heavy metal expert in extractive industry has provided expert evidence for several years now to state that lead will travel to the village of Lue and local landholders. Everyone relies on tankwater and once this is contaminated then rainwater will become useless.
The Lue Action Group has engaged numerous experts who will no doubt provide scientific reasons why this project should be rejected. I support their efforts and urge Planning to take their concerns seriously. They have had to raise money to pay for these expert reports whilst the state govt offers no assistance to local communities to rebute consultants paid for by mining companies who merely deliver what is expected from their employers. A very unfair and unjust system to have to work within.
How on earth in today's enlightened world can government approve lead contamination to humans particularly children when society is doing quite the opposite ie removing lead paint, petrol etc.
Planning needs to resist pressure by govt to fast track development approval and resist this type of money grabbing mining project when the health inpacts are effectively going to destroy a village for the sake of profit for a publically listed company whose motive is only $$. Failure to do so will mean NSW has no moral compass for regional communities. I would expect the local council also to lodge objection having considered the grave impacts on the Lue residents. If they didn't then it would be like sacrificing Lue for the greed of other parts of the region. I can't imagine australia in the current health and economic climate stooping that low.
If this mine site was in the middle of nowhere then maybe the downsides could be accomodated but where it is situated no amount of accomodation can remove the dramatic long term effects of lead contaminationto the local polulation.
When considering this project please place yourselves in the shoes of local residents and ask yourselves this quesrtion - " would I live there with my family and children if this project was approved." Not to view this project through this prism will be an abject failure of responsibility.
Thank you,
John Loneragan

Please see attached

I am an 18-year-old girl who finished school last year and has returned home to work on my family farm.

My family has been farming in the Lue Rylstone region for 100 year, and as the fourth generation I have every intention to continue doing this for many more years. My family and many others in the region love what we do and are passionate about the agriculture industry in this area.

The Lue Lead Mine has been a concern for my family and many others in the region for a while now. Although it wasn’t until I took a further interest in finding out what we are really facing, that I discovered all the troubles/problems that are involved with this Mine.

The Mine site that has been chosen is surrounded by farms and is only a short 2km drive from the village of Lue, it is also located very close to the Hawkins Creek and Lawson Creek. It is shown to be an unsafe location as the layout of the Mine shows that the leachate management dam is designed, so that once it is full or there is heavy rain the dam will overflow into the Creeks, this will not only have a disastrous effect on the wildlife but will also negatively effect all of the farms that utilise this water source.

The water demand for this mines site cannot be achieved without importing water from the Ulan and/or Moolarben Coal Mines. This water is already contaminated and will be moved between the Mines through a pipeline that will go through many farms. If this pipeline was to break it would leak the contaminated water through people’s farms, causing a potential harm to livestock, crops, soil and pastures.

The increase of traffic on our local roads will become an issue for many of the farmers in the area as moving livestock across the roads is something that is often done. We move large mobs of cattle and stock across the road regularly. Although the biggest issue with increased traffic is the safety of our locals. The main road that will be used to access the Lead Mine goes through the Lue village, here there is a small school that is right on the main road.

Being a part of the next generation, I hope to one day raise a family of my own and continue farming on our properties continuing my family legacy. If this Mine was to go ahead, I would be faced with the decision of whether or not I want my kids to grow up on our family farm and be exposed every day to the alarming health concerns connected to the Lead Mine.

Experts have stated that there is no level of lead exposure that is considered safe, and that young children are most at risk. The lead dust that will be created by this Mine will travel right through the Lue village and the surrounding farms. It is known that lead can have lifelong effects on multiple organs in the human body. Would you want to raise your children in an area exposed to such major health concerns?

This Mine is already causing so much trouble for our community, if it was to go ahead this would only increase. It is my generation and all the generations after us that will be faced with the consequences of this Mine whether they be in relation to our community and businesses or the health of our children and grandchildren.
Why should the short term economic benefit of a few have such a significant negative impact on a whole community that has lived in this area for generations and intend to do so for generations to come? Why should the short term economic benefits of a few have such a dreadful impact on our food production systems and pristine environment?

Please stop the Lue Mine and allow me and my family a future in agriculture here at home.

To NSW Department of planning,
Firstly, I would like to introduce myself my name is Natalia, a teacher, an attempt of a farmer these days and more important for this matter: I am an owner/resident of Bara, around 5 km away from the proposed Bowden’s Silver Project. Absolutely unaware of this monstrous project I moved to this area in March and fell in love with it. I have dedicated a lot of time travelling around Australia admiring the diverse landscape, culture, and biodiversity of this country. I believe that this area is an special place having so much diversity making a major project like Bowden’s Silver a big mistake.
The mine causes me great concern: I worry about pollution of the water supply, the extraction of lead, the pollution of the air by mining and trucks. I worry about the noise of a mine functioning continuously 24h/day with trucks, machinery, and blasting. I worry about the loss of biodiversity, overcrowding, property prices and our own health. I worry that I would not be able to see the milky way at night, the kangaroos every at dusk/dawn and that I would wake up to the noise of mining instead of birds.

I am very concerned about water supply on an already drought-stricken area. The project states “Annual water usage would be approximately of 1857 megalitres for processing and dust suppression”… with an excess of 331 ML sourced from other mines. With the minority of the water coming from alternative sources I would disagree with the report in informing that the mine would place no additional demand on local and regional resources: Ullan, Moolarben coal mines, Lawsons creek, Hawkins creek are still part of the region and would affect us directly.

One of the things that would affect me the most is the noise of a continuous operational mine, 24 hours of machine and trucks on this area would negatively affect our lifestyle. The report is understating existing how low background noise, as in the area there is absolutely no noise except for birds, frogs, wind or the occasional car or plane. With no exaggeration I could say that on average we have 4 cars transiting our road in a week. The noise report proposes 25 to 30 DB, which might be ok on a city area, but in a rural area it is completely absurd. It is a definite NO for mining and truck noise that is one of the reasons why I left the city.

I worry about how this mine would permanently change the landscape and biodiversity of the area, as 6.5 million tons of extracted minerals per year at least to a 180 m depth seems like a monumental change, no matter how much rehabilitation could be proposed. Just to give an example of our surroundings in one day you can see many species of kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, turtles, frogs and hundreds of birds. The disturbance of 495ha of vegetation seems incommensurable as its is the home of many of the species previously mentioned and more. In my opinion there is no consideration given to the surrounding area and greater Mudgee ecology.

Another point I would like to raise is that Coal mining in the surrounding areas do not pose the same risk as this project and therefore should not be assessed on the same grounds. My concern is for our own health and the wildlife around us with the processing of Lead, Silver & Zinc Ore far exceeds that of the risk for Coal and small-scale Gold mining.

Even if a small percentage of jobs are created in the area, I think mining is the only industry in the area that is detrimental for other services: agriculture, viticulture and tourism could be affected, especially if something goes wrong with the mine. I know the traffic would be diverted to avoid Lue through a diverted Maloney’s Road, but what about the rest of the route of the trucks? Workers and trucks could saturate road and services; as the plan anticipates a 20% increase of traffic is a major change for the area, affecting directly our lifestyle and relaxed country life.
I firmly believe that this major project is a mistake for the area, as the damage would be irreparable, no matter how many years of rehabilitation are proposed. At uncertain times when the world is changing, it would be disadvantageous for the region as the mass extractions of materials is unjustifiable for any economic benefits.
At last I would like to thank to the departments for giving me the opportunity to voice my concerns and make us part of a decision so important, that could affect majorly our lifestyle.

Hello, I'm a resident ratepayer in Mid-Western Regional Council area and I object to t he proposed Silver, Lead & Zinc mine at Lue because of the devastating effects to our environment and health.
It will send trucks through our town of Mudgee,
There will be toxic waste entering our waterways,
Lead dust will reach Lue Primary School less than 2kms away and
there will be loss of Koala habitat and critically endangered Grassy-Box Woodland

Hello and thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns over the Bowdens so called Silver mine.
Firstly it is mining less than 1% Silver and 42% lead and 58% Zinc so I think they should be made to call it a Lead or a Zinc mine not misleading people by saying it’s a silver mine.
To the person making the decision to let this project go ahead or not – have you ever actually been to Lue? If not please take the time to visit this gorgeous little sleepy village before giving the go-ahead to destroy it, PLEASE? You will find a very quiet little town where you can spot wildlife aplenty – so many birds, wombats, roos, echidnas and just this week see a koala sitting in a tree near the oval – it really is a beautiful place and still close enough to Sydney that tourists can visit on the weekends and enjoy the scenery and the many touristy things it has to offer in the near vicinity including the Rylstone markets, quaint little hippy shops, pub, clubs and of course the many wineries about, not forgetting the hiking, fishing and camping around the area.
I have close friends who luckily escaped the rat race a few years ago to retire to a beautiful spot just outside of Lue. I love to visit as often as I can so we can enjoy our daily hikes around the area bird watching and trying to spot wildlife but this mine proposes to operate 7 days a week, 24 hours a day with blasting 6 days a week – noise levels are predicted to go from 35dba to 45dba during the day and instead of dead quiet nights with the occasional moo from the neighbours cow we will have to endure 35dba – there goes a nice peaceful sleep – may as well stay in the city! The best part of the area is the peace and quiet and being able to relax and de-stress for a bit but that’s just for me – what about the poor people who live there – if they wanted to live in noise and pollution they would live in the city!
I have made enquiries as to what this mine will do to the area and quite frankly it scares me – apart from the immediate problems of taking water from the underground water supply which the Mudgee district relies on apparently 17% of water is going to come from Ulan mine which is 60km away and going to piped in. I have heard that the water from Ulan won’t be treated before leaving there so that means dirty contaminated water will be flowing across or alongside private properties – what if there is a major crack or even a small leak - the way the area goes from drought to heavy rain the ground is always moving so there is a very good chance of a leak – that means this contaminated water is leaking onto property where there is livestock, wildlife and will flow into people’s dams or get underground into bores. A lot of people in the area have paid a lot of money to have heavy machinery come out and put in dams or bores – won’t do them or their stock any good if it becomes undrinkable.
Speaking of undrinkable water – with a lead mine which uses cyanide (now even that word scares me and I don’t know why anyone would want to work with that!) is only a few kilometres away my concern is the lead in the air settling onto peoples roofs will make their tank water undrinkable – would you like to even take the chance on drinking it knowing lead poisoning can affect behaviour and intelligence or cause illnesses including damage to the kidneys and brain, as well as fertility issues to name a few - if it doesn’t kill you that is. I know Bowdens say the dust won’t reach as far as Lue which is 2 km away but just last year the area was hit with a dust storm that came from Dubbo and that’s over 160km away – how can they guarantee the air & water won’t become contaminated?
Another issue I find frightening is the PAF (Potentially Acid Forming) Waste Rock Emplacement Area – which is going to stay forever. Not just the 16 years of operation but FOREVER! The United Nations has labelled acid mine drainage as one of the biggest problems our world is facing second only to global warming. This nearly 200 acres is going to be secured by HDPE only 1.5 millimetres thick!?!? That’s the same plastic used in milk containers – can you imagine how easy that is to poke a hole in – have you ever gotten home from the shops to find your milk has split and leaked? And this is going to protect our future generations from this acid? Bowdens have stated that not even trees can be grown on top once the cover layers have been put down as they know tree roots will break through this layer – my question is who will police that in 200 years? Who will police that in 500 years? How are they going to ensure after a bit rain that new saplings aren’t going to take root – who is going to be responsible for the weeding? How are Bowdens going to ensure that our future generations are safe?
And apart from the visible threat from above what if this plastic leaks at the very bottom in the middle of the 200 acres? Will there be anything in place to police this and warn of such an occasion or we just hope this plastic does last forever or figure we’ll find out it’s leaking when the water in Lawson Creek is contaminated and has started to make everybody sick?
In closing I’d like to say this silver, lead, zinc etc has been in the ground for goodness knows how many millions of years – it’s not going anywhere & it’s not just us we have to think about - why can’t we just leave it there until we know we can SAFELY get it out without jeopardising the health and the livelihoods of the people of Lue and their children and their children’s children.........
Thank you for your time

Grave concerns are held for both water quality & quantity in Lawson’s Creek because of this mine. As a grape grower relying on ground water in the Mudgee area, our farm & livelihood is threatened.

We are also very concerned as to contamination of groundwater.

We are concerned as to the remediation of the mine site & of the noise & potential lead pollution in the nearby village of Lue.

Trucks & other heavy machinery will be destroying roads in our area.

I am proud to be part of the team that is presenting the Bowdens Silver project for development for the Mid-Western Regional LGA.

The outstanding depth and quality of work conducted over the years by not only Bowdens Silver own professional teams but also by independent consultants and experts at the top of their fields has conclusively demonstrated and validated a robust, responsible, safe and environmentally sound silver mine development.

It is widely recognised and acknowledged that this development will be critically important for the region. I spend most of my time living and working in Lue and like the rest of the Bowdens Silver team, I have invested considerably in understanding the issues faced by locals as well as by those in the region more broadly. This project will have a major positive impact.

During construction, the project will employ around 320 people and once operational, will employ a permanent staff of around 230. Priority will be given to locals for these jobs with all site staff required to live locally. In addition to the number of jobs created through direct employment, another 2.5 jobs per person will be created through the use of local businesses and services. This kind of boost will not only help these towns survive, but will help them flourish.

It has been concerning to see that in some of our regional towns that prospects are so limited for school leavers that many go straight onto welfare or are forced to move to the cities to find employment. This changes the social and economic fabric of these towns with populations that are increasingly ageing or reliant on social assistance. Regional towns need strong businesses like Bowdens Silver to invest in these communities and provide opportunities for a better future.

The success of a business such as Bowdens Silver is reliant on having a strong socially and moral contract with its stakeholders and neighbours. We have chosen not to compete in any way with agriculture or other enterprises. We are very proud of that fact and indeed we will continue with our own farming activities alongside our mining activities.

Our performance of the past years will be testament to our future. Our team has and always will adhere to the very best standards and will continue to build their lives and invest in the communities in which they live.

We look forward to continuing our positive contributions and making a substantial difference to our neighbouring communities as well as to the State as a whole.

I encourage everyone to either get in touch, or to visit the Bowdens Silver website www.bowdenssilver.com.au as there is a considerable amount of clear, factual and interesting information available.

I commend this outstanding project.

I am writing in objection to the proposed Bowdens Silver Mine at Lue. The risks and hazards associated with the establishment, operation and abandonment of this mine hugely outweigh the benefits. The most terrifying risk associated with the going ahead of the mine is the huge demand for water and the subsequent poisoning of that water.

Water is life! Lue and other small towns in the region are extremely sensitive and susceptible to drought. Without a secure water supply the towns would cease to exist. After the past summer and drought, the terrifying reality of this fact is all too real. The Bowdens Silver mine is said to require approximately 2 gigalitres of water every year for operation. This water would be extracted from nearby creeks, bores and the water table. This precious water (which the local community relies on for everyday life, agriculture and other uses) would then be contaminated.
This point alone should be enough to stop the mine from going ahead. You can not put a price on this water.
The extraction of this much water will have a detrimental effect on the local community and farms and also the rich environment and biodiversity of the region. It will increase the risk of drought and create and even more fragile environment for the area's inhabitants.

The contaminated water is then to be held on site in a tailings dam. A toxic, ticking time bomb. A gaping hole in our beautiful landscape. Tailings dams always leak. Especially when not maintained and monitored. It’s only a matter of time before Lawsons creek is contaminated with Lead, other heavy metals and pollutants.

This water which the region relies on, contaminated with lead? What a waking nightmare! Lead poisoning is serious and with this mine it is likely that people will suffer the effects of lead poisoning. At high levels of exposure, lead attacks the brain and central nervous system to cause coma, convulsions and even death. Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with mental retardation and behavioural disorders.

This is not to mention the effects on the wildlife that relies on the water as well. The Lawsons Creek system feeds into the Cudgegong River which runs through Mudgee, a rich and thriving town and further down the Macquarie River which is Dubbo’s water supply. So this mine is putting at least 55,000 people’s water supply at risk of being dangerously contaminated. What benefits will these people get from the mine? I can’t see any.

Lue may be a small town, and the people who are proposing this mine and will directly benefit from it obviously don’t care about the people living there. Towns like Lue need to be protected, our small towns are important! This part of Australia is often referred to by locals and tourists alike as ‘god's country’.

The beauty of this part of Australia and the heritage of the communities and people is something I’m proud of as a resident in the area and I urge the government to see the risks for what they are and please reconsider this mine. The scar on the land, the people and the local species will be felt for several generations to come if the mine was to go ahead. It seems crazy to me that this has even been proposed.

In summary, My family and I strongly object to the Bowdens Silver mine. Our local communities need to be protected. Our precious water needs to be protected and we rely on the government for their protection.

BOWDENS SILVER MINE PROJECT – SSD-5765

To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to thank you very much for this opportunity to submit my personal views and concerns regarding the application for this project and I appreciate your time taken to read my submission and consider the impacts that this proposal will have on our local area.

I am 48 years old and happily married with two adult sons who have grown up in the outskirts of the village of Lue. I myself was born in Mudgee hospital and have a great love and respect for the Mudgee region, especially Lue.

I am a law abiding, hardworking, community minded and family loving person making a home on a small acreage on the outskirts of Lue. I don’t believe that we should need to be fighting to justify the value and love of my home and our local area. Just the proposal of this project has already begun to divide our community and is destroying the friendly, welcoming nature of the local people. Even the strong holds like the Rural Fire Service, which I have been Senior Deputy Captain of for several years, is being destroyed due to the affects this proposal has already had on our community.

Throughout my working career, I have had a vast experience with the noise, dust and vibration impacts that mining has on the surrounding local area. You can hear a D11 dozer from 5klms away, let alone from our back doorstep which is only 1.5klms from the site, of this I promise you! The affects of blasting to move large areas of rock are also detrimental to the surrounding area. Our community and in fact most of regional NSW has just been through the worst drought and fire season in my living memory. We don’t need more dust from a mine like this to make life unbearable.

In recent times we have had several meetings with a few representatives from Bowdens Silver and have been very disappointed with their lack of professionalism when presented with questions and concerns by us. They either were unable to provide us with information or just failed to give adequate responses to our concerns. When questioned regarding whether the water supply in Lawson creek would be affected, they said “we don’t envisage detrimental affects to the flows”. I have several photographs of Lawson creek at the bottom of our property that shows adequate water for stock, wildlife, fish and other native fauna survival. This was the case even through the recent drought that has been labelled as a 1 in 100-year event. My concerns are even if the water is still available for the community in our creek that it will become acidic and polluted as a result of the mining and waste rock.

I have recently spoken with employees of Ulan Coal mines and they have indicated to me that the Bowdens Silver proposal for accessing 331ML of water per year is a very pie in the sky request. They mentioned that even if given approval for this request, none of the water would be treated or filtered of the contaminants of oil, heavy metals, sediments and chemicals that are used in the extraction of coal. This has been a very mis-leading piece of information by Bowdens Silver representatives.

My wife and I regularly walk around our property which is located only 1.5klms from the proposed mine boundary and we have on numerous occasions observed native water rats and platypus in the water holes to the east of our windmill on Lawson creek. The proposal for this mine will put these native animals at risk of being able to survive. Unfortunately, if this project can proceed, I’m sure all these valuable assets of both our property and the local area will be in serious jeopardy.

I don’t believe for one minute that the Bowdens Silver representatives are being open and transparent with us or the local community. In fact, I can’t see from the proposed extraction figures that Bowdens Silver will have a silver mine as we have been led to believe. It appears to be more of a lead and zinc mine with a little amount of silver being extracted on the way. The figure of 66 million ounces of silver to be extracted sounds like a lot however this equates to 1502 tonnes of silver. The other figures are 83,000 tonnes of lead and 116,000 tonnes of zinc. I do not understand, given this information why it is being called a silver mine and not a lead or zinc mine? This appears to be another effort to mislead the community.

I respect the economic gains this project may bring in the way of employment and monetary value to the community and state revenue, especially in the time of a global pandemic and strain on our national economy however if this mine is allowed to develop and operate, I would be very concerned for the health and well-being of myself, my family and the wider community. The active mining of lead will create lead dust in the environment and it is a proven fact that there is no safe level of lead that your body can tolerate without detriment, the road impacts will be great with the increased amount of traffic and heavy vehicles travelling through our local region and the wider Mudgee area.

Once again, I thank you for this opportunity to submit my concerns and views regarding this project and appreciate your time in reviewing this.

Bowdens Silver Project
I am writing to object in the strongest possible terms to Silver Mines Ltd’s Bowdens Silver Project adjacent to the village of Lue in the Mid-western Regional Shire. It is difficult to imagine a more ill-conceived project.
Socially, it will impact both Lue, which is adjacent to the proposed mine, and Mudgee, through which the mining trucks will pass. The mine may well make Lue uninhabitable with its dust and noise pollution, and it will compromise the wine/getaway economic base of the Mudgee region.
Lue is on the most scenic road into the Mudgee region. The road is narrow and winding and ill-suited to the mine’s large Double-Bs. School, tourist and Countrylink buses use this road.
Geologically, the mine is entirely within the Lawson Creek catchment, so all runoff and leaching, which will inevitably occur, will eventually find its way into Lawson Creek and ultimately downstream into the Cudgegong, Macquarie and Murray Rivers. Just below the point where Lawson Creek enters the Cudgegong at Mudgee is the Putta Bucca Wetlands, part of the natural assets that contribute to the attractiveness of the region as a tourist destination.
Further, if there is a failure of any retaining wall, the discharge into the Lawson Creek catchment could be sudden and overwhelming. History shows that in such a case, taxpayers, not the company, will be stuck with the “re-mediation.”
The plan to pump water from the Goulburn River drainage east of the Great Divide into a catchment west of the Divide sets a bad precedent for transferring water between catchments, thereby compromising water planning that to date has been logically based on within-catchment needs.
Local sentiment is almost uniformly against this mine. It will destroy Lue and degrade the economic base and amenity of surrounding area. It will only benefit a few shareholders who live far from the area and who would object if their lives were to be affected as ours will be.
Mining has transformed the middle Hunter River Valley into a toxic open pit. There is no reason to think this project will not do the same for the Lue/Mudgee area.
This mad proposal should be stopped stone cold dead now.
Allen Greer
6 George St
Mudgee, NSW 2850
04 27 26 42 74

25 July 2020

Re: State Significant Development No. 5765

I am writing to object to the proposed Bowdens Silver mine at Lue Village (State Significant Development No. 5765).

I am in Lue regularly to visit and assist on the family farm (which is ~3km from the mine site) and have visited the area for many years. My objection is mainly (but not exclusively) on the following grounds.

According to the Ground water assessment (Vol 2, Part 5), Bowdens are proposing that much of the water supply for the mine will rely on local groundwater. During recent droughts the levels of this water have suffered, without extra interference from mining operations, and supply has been challenging just to sustain the local community. The EIS only mentions impacts/”make good” provisions applying to other bore holders but there are also plenty of other landholders and local wildlife that rely on the local water supplies, such as springs, which doesn’t appear to have been addressed. Additionally, the assessment admits that the groundwater impacts are also very long term and will continue well beyond the life of the mine, as the mine pit fills over the course of 50-100 years, and thereafter from continuous evaporation.

Another of the water sources proposed is a pipeline from the Ulan Coal Mine and/or Moolarben Coal Mine, however this does not seem to be supported by an agreement between all required parties at the time of writing this. If this water supply by pipeline is unable to be secured, there doesn’t seem to be another plan for the additional water supply, except for the local groundwater sources and surface water which raises the same issues I have outlined above. Even if this agreement were to be reached with the other mines for sharing of water (which should be secured before a mining licence is even considered to be granted), there still remains much uncertainty over this water supply, as the coal mines will always need to give their own supply priority over supplying water elsewhere.

In the case of the proposed water supply being affected by seasonal conditions such as drought, there is no allowance for more sustainable supplementary water supplies, such as harvesting rainwater and storing it in tanks. The only supplementary water supply that has been mentioned is to sink more bores, which would place unprecedented pressure on the groundwater levels, particularly in a period of drought.

I am also concerned about by products from the mine site affecting the health of the local community and environment. Specifically, health authorities recognise that lead, which will be produced from the site, cannot exist in any “safe” level in the blood. As well as the likely lead exposure, as mentioned in the assessment of the health of the local population (Vol 3, Part 7) there is likely to be high susceptibility to respiratory disease, which could be worsened by the exposure to dust especially if it contains airborne heavy metals. This is made even more of a problem by the proximity (~2km) of the mine site to the local village of Lue and surrounding farmland, where a third of the population is in the important developmental phase of <19 years old, not to mention the Lue Public School. This mine is proposed to be built far too close to an established village with a rich history, and if the mine were to proceed and the locals are able to weather the side effects in the short term, the community would still be left to deal with the consequences long after the silver deposits have been depleted.

It is for these reasons (and many others) that this mine should not proceed.

I object to the project

I strongly object to the Bowdens Silver Mine proposal.

The language used to describe the potential for water contamination is problematic. The use of ‘unlikely’ as a definitive term when discussing the potential for poisonous seepage, leachate and runoff is inappropriate. Would the government allow a building that was ‘unlikely’ to collapse be built? If water contamination (and therefore the health and safety of people and livestock in the vicinity) cannot be guaranteed then it is not a feasible proposition.

Please see example from: Part 6: Surface Water Assessment - Post mining Period. 6 – 129.

With the above mechanisms effectively managing seepage, leachate and runoff, the receiving waters are unlikely to be impacted by seepage, leachate or runoff from the PAF material either during operations or after closure and decommissioning.

A spokesperson for Bowdens Silver Mine was broadcast on the radio saying that the mine will provide jobs in these uncertain times and that the process for creating the mine would be ‘streamlined.’ Streamlining the process of creating an open cut mine 1.5km from a primary school seems concerning and negligent.

One of the benefits of the implementation of the mine is the jobs it will provide. But what of the livelihoods and businesses in the vicinity that rely on health and quality of the land? It is not adding work to the workforce if it is simultaneously putting others out of work. This is for a mine that is only proposed to be operational for 16 years, it is a short-sighted approach to boosting the economy. The mine will support a number of jobs for less than the amount of time it takes to pay off a traditional home loan. It is likely the mine will create a boom in infrastructure followed by abandonment. The primary industries in the area are agriculture, tourism and mining. Bowdens Silver Mine will directly and negatively impact the other industries in the area creating an imbalance which will be detrimental to the community. The proximity of the mine to the township already indicates a lack of respect for the health, safety and property of those in the area. The result of this can be viewed in the township of Wollar.

The coal mines around Mudgee maintain an 8km buffer. When questioned about this Bowdens responded that there is currently no requirement for a prescribed buffer zone around coal mining projects in NSW. However, the primary air pollutant for the mine will be dust. A 2km distance from the town of Lue will not prevent the devasting effects that dust pollution has on agricultural land. This will adversely effect ground cover, crop growth and air quality for people and animals. The satellite images of the spread of smoke from the recent bushfires can attest to the far reaching effects of air pollution. Acute exposure to the smoke from the recent bushfire in Wollemi National Park – over 122km away from Mudgee - resulted in failed crops across vineyards in Mudgee due to smoke taint.

Just one of the materials that will be released into the air during ore handling and processing is Cyanide as hydrogen cyanide (HCN). hydrogen cyanide is a systemic chemical asphyxiant which interferes with oxygen use within the body. Breathing even small amounts of hydrogen cyanide can cause headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and vomiting. Larger amounts may cause gasping, irregular heartbeats, seizures, fainting, and even rapid death. This is just one toxic material that people and animals could be exposed to.

Australia has recently witnessed the devasting effects of drought. Access to water has been a grave concern for those in the area. For a mine which proposes to use 1857 megalitres of water annually, the measured effects on downstream water users are vague. Describing the impact of the loss on the availability of water to downstream water users as negligible.

The management of contaminated water during the operations stage of the mine refers to directing discharge away from the ‘external surface water environment.’ But what of the groundwater?

Please see example from: Part 6: Surface Water Assessment - 8.6.1 Potential for Contamination due to PAF Waste Rock and Tailings Runoff, Leachate or Seepage - Operations stage - 6 – 129.

Runoff from the processing plant, mining facility and ore stockpiles would be captured and contained within the containment (mine affected) zone water management system, which would be designed and operated such that any discharge from these sources is directed to the main open cut pit and away from the external surface water environment.
The surface water assessment acknowledges that water will be contaminated. It is extremely concerning that this is acceptable for a mine that will be positioned in an area where the economy and livelihoods of a large percentage of citizens rely on water use.

If the site monitoring plan finds the water to be unsuitable for release then sediment dams would be dewatered and the water re-used for dust suppression. While it is paramount that contaminated water is not released downstream, it is also necessary for water to be available downstream. If water is consistently found to be unsuitable for release then the the loss of the availability of water to downstream water users would advance from negligible to disastrous.

Please see example from: Part 6: Surface Water Assessment – Executive Summary – Impact on Downstream Water Quality - 6 – 16.

A site water quality monitoring plan would be implemented during operations to verify that the captured water quality is suitable for off-site release in accordance with the conditions of an EPL, and to monitor receiving water conditions. It is proposed to continue the current ambient water quality monitoring program at the existing locations, and in on-site sediment dams located at release points. If water quality is found to be unsuitable for release during operations (outside the EPL limits) sediment dams would be dewatered and the water re-used for dust suppression.

The proposal to use water which is unsuitable for release as dust suppression is concerning. While a plan for dust suppression is essential, using water contaminated with toxic material is unacceptable. The dust itself will hold harmful materials, this in combination with poor water quality (even small amounts over a long period) will eventually penetrate the groundwater and result in far reaching, devastating consequences.

The effects of Bowdens Silver Mine are too far reaching and dangerous to quantify opening the mine. The long-term effects on currently fertile agricultural land could take hundreds of years to heal. This is from a mine that plans to operate for only 16 years. The ramifications of mining toxic materials 2km from a township are ambiguous and unacceptable.

Thank you for reading my objection.

My family and I are directly and significantly impacted by the planned Lue silver mine.
Please see my objection letter attached with full details to my objection.
In summary:I object to the Bowden’s development application and seek that it be refused based on;
1) The potential health impact poisoning to our creek frontage, 24 hour/7 day continued noise from the mine and social impact to our family and local community.
2) The tranquility and peacefulness on Wyuna (and our local community) would be lost for 23 years, which for our purposes is essentially forever. We will be in our late 70’s at which point we will not be in a position to develop this property. The whole reason we escape Sydney to our Wyuna haven is for the tranquility, peacefulness, clean air and the private open space. Note that the potential poisonous tailings dam is planned to be approximately less than 1km from our creek and house.
3) My life long life aspiration and personal goal to retire on Wyuna would be ruined if the mine went ahead. My wife and I have worked tirelessly and poured a lot of money into Wyuna over 23 years in readiness to retire soon. We had been planning on building a new retirement house on Wyuna but have now stopped all planning. Our 2 boys (now 21 and 17) have grown up on Wyuna with life long beautiful memories and the intent is to one day pass the farm to them. Building of a mine so close to Wyuna would cause that goal to be lost forever.
4) We currently use our house as a short stay retreat for guests to enjoy the peace and tranquillity which would be lost forever both financially and socially.
5) I envisage a significant negative financial impact on the value of the property, siting at the foot of this proposed mine with 24/7 noise, I doubt we will be able to sell the property once the mine has commenced construction. In addition, we could no longer offer Wyuna as a peaceful farm stay and will thereby lose our income from farm stays. We will also, I believe, lose our ability to offer our paddocks for agistment of cattle due to the potential lead dust poisoning.
6) The loss of wildlife including birdlife generally and fish and platypi from the Lawson Creek.

Full details are in my attached objection letter.

In summary, the approval of the Bowden’s Silver (lead and zinc) mine application could be;
1) an environmental disaster for our family, Lue and surrounding areas
2) financial instability of Bowden’s could leave an exposed open cut (potentially poisonous) mine to the elements with no accountability
3) a dangerous long-term health impact to our children, local and expanded communities and would change the area forever
4) A financial disaster for our family and other long-term Lue property owners