Bowdens Silver

I support the project which will provide great economic opportunities for Australian’s.

Public Submission for Bowdens Silver Development

Dear Sir or Madam,
This submission is in favour of granting the application SSD 5765.
The reasons being that if everything is in accordance with the law and no negative impact on the planet it will be beneficial for a lot of people.

I have shares a small number of shares in Silvermines Ltd for over 5 years and I believe it will benefit the community by creating jobs, not only the people working in the mines but also the wider community because the money will be spend locally.
As long as it is done according to the law and morally right, permission should be granted.
In times like this with high unemployment and low incomes everything should be done to A: minimise damage to the earth, B: give people a good salary and C: often the larger companies supporting local social clubs , like football, soccer and other sports and events.

My name is Debbie De Groot. Me and my family of four have a farm in the area around Lue. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to have my say about this project.
I object to this proposal.
This mine is very close to where people have their home. We are talking about a mine with hard metals damaging to people’s health. Its is not fair to put people in a situation where they have to choose between living in the property they love and face the very big consequences, or leave their home. The consequences are lengthy: health issues, noise issues, traffic and loss of beauty of the lovely environment to name a few.
This mine is undoubtedly in the wrong place. There is a school at only 2km from this poisonous mine. There is a small town called Lue, but a very much alive and close community only 2km from this open cut mine. Trucks will go through the lovely town of Mudgee and pass schools packed with lead. You can not do this to people and jeopardise health for money. Everyone deserves better. I would think that the health issues we are facing now would make that point clear.
The impact on the environment is huge and the land will never recover from this violent act of human power. People in charge of the mine may say they will rehabilitate some of it. Some of it, is just not good enough. But lets be honest, even if they would rehabilitate the whole site , It is impossible not to leave garbage, poison, and simply, a mess behind. You can not rehabilitate land to what is was before the major destruction done to it.
I do not think the short term financial benefits justify the damage to the environment and the long term health risks of many people in our community. Allow me to ask you a question. Would you put your child in a school with a lead mine only two km away, and/or would you continue to live in the home you love with a lead mine nearby?

I know the area well and believe that Bowdens Silver is a much needed major project in terms of employment and prosperity in the region.
Local employment is vital to get these regions on a more sustainable basis.

The reason for my submission against the Bowden's Silver Mine in Lue is three fold. Firstly I have great concerns for the health and vitality of Lawson Creek. This creek provides for livestock and cropping through and beyond Mudgee. Secondly the increase and safely of Lue Road, not only the increase in traffic at all hours of the day but also the nature of the traffic. My concern extends to the movement of hazardous materials not only along Lue Road but also through Mudgee. My final concern is for the impact on other water infrastructure in the region, the movement of water and the unpredictable nature of rain fall levels.

I OBJECT to the Bowdens Silver Mine proposal.
I declare I have have not made a reportable political donation in the previous 2 years.
The reasons why I object to this proposal are

1. My family operates a farm four kilometres downstream of the proposed mine on the Lawson Creek. We have farmed this country for five generations, producing fine wool, beef and fat lambs. We rely on Lawson Creek for all our stock and domestic water as we have a five kilometre frontage to the Lawson Creek.

2. This mine will use a lot of water. It will take groundwater from the Lawson Creek catchment, 5 megalitres every day which is not available in our catchment. After mining begins, the level of water in the Creek will drop by one metre which will mean in dry times we will have no water.

3. Bowdens proposes to take more water from the Lawson Creek catchment than all the existing Lawson water users. What will this do to our water supply?

4. Groundwater will be severely affected with the level on the mine site dropping by 25 metres threatening bores.

5. The tailings dam will be in our landscape forever sitting in the Lawson Creek catchment and these dams are particularly susceptible to breaching and the resulting environmental disaster. This mine poses a serious threat to our environment.

6. Tailings dams fail during significant rain events. We have rain records showing 225 mls overnight in February 2002 which caused major destruction in the Lawson Creek catchment. We regularly have large floods in Lawson Creek which dissipate very quickly. Bowdens would be subject to the same variations and suffer the consequences of extreme rain events.

As a shareholder in Silver Mines Limited I strongly support the project based on the comprehensive EIS noting that Bowdens Silver is controlled by a Board of Directors and management team with a comprehensive range of skills and experience in exploration, mine development, finance and administration.
As the objectives of Bowdens Silver in developing and operating the Project are to maximise the recovery of the silver, zinc and lead minerals from the defined ore reserves within the proposed open cut pits and undertake all activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner to demonstrate compliance with relevant criteria and satisfy reasonable community expectations.
Also to ensure the health of its workforce and the surrounding community is not adversely affected; preserve the existing character of Lue; maintain a positive relationship with the surrounding agricultural industry and maximise productivity on land retained for agricultural production; provide a stimulus for the Mudgee, Rylstone, Kandos and district economies.

I recently moved to Rylstone (about 25 km from Lue) in order to buy property and build a house at the Rylstone Aerodrome. I was dismayed to learn about the proposed lead mine at nearby Lue. Let me state that I do not object in principal to these sorts of infrastructure projects. My objection is based on environmental dangers, primarily:

1. Water usage and potential ground water pollution.
2. Lead dust and real danger to young school age children within a 4 km radius of site.

With respect to #1 above, the proposed amount of water usage appears to fly in the face of all reason considering the fragile situation re water and the recent major draught. The use of extremely poisonous chemicals (cyanide amongst others) has the potential to pollute the ground water aquifer which would be a disaster of immense consequence.

With respect to #2 above, Lue has an important primary school that currently educates disabled and handicapped children. Recent studies of lead pollution in Broken Hill have clearly demonstrated that lead dust will produce dangerous blood levels of lead in children over a 4 km radius.Lead poisoning has demonstrated negative effects on IQ. The 2 km radius at Lue creates a totally unacceptable risk to our most vulnerable citizens.

Let me conclude this brief submission by saying that I could possibly support this project but ONLY if verifiable mediations were proposed to eliminate any possibility of aquifer pollution and dust dangers to children. In addition, I could only support the project if at the conclusion of mining the entire site was restored and cleaned up. The current proposal upon termination is unacceptable and leaves an immense level of ground and water pollution.

Thank you for considering my objections.

MSB Total Solutions is diverse business located in Mudgee. The business has been operating since 1992 and has developed around being specialists in corrosion and wear protection. Over this time, MSB has developed into a solutions business for mining, power, industrial and commercial sectors.
Through our association with all types of mining throughout our region, we have seen the massive focus that these companies place on safety and the environment under the guidance and coaching from the relevant regulators. At MSB we believe, and have confidence, that the Bowden's project at Lue would meet or exceed all expectations of the stakeholders. Their current openness and transparency within our community is to be admired and wish them every success with the project.
MSB Total Solutions is fully supportive of this submission.

I am a strong supporter of this project. I have a 35 year association with Mudgee, Lue, Rylstone, Kandos and Ilford. I am a former landholder and continue to spend much time in the areas around the proposed Silver Mines Project.

I have seen the devastation the closure of the Cement Works and Coal Mines have had on the communities and associated infrastructure. . Economically, environmentally and mentally. They are all connected in the context of a viable community. Silver Mines presence will work to address this I feel certain.

I have read silver mines submission and looked at them on the ground.

Kind regards

Tom

The Bowdens Silver project would create new employment opportunities in rural NSW in these tough times. It would also assist in providing taxation revenue to the government which can then be used to support the general community. As such, I fully support this project.

I live in the village of Lue, 2km from the proposed Bowden's silver/lead/zinc mine, with my partner and 2 children. We have been here for the past 2 years and enjoy the quiet, peaceful, rural lifestyle. We grow our own veggies and have animals as pets. We also catch our own rainwater for drinking and household use.

I object to the Bowden's Mine project for the following reasons:

* Changes to the Underground Water Table.
I believe our water bore will be affected immensely. In the recent drought that lasted for a couple of years, we relied heavily on the bore to supply our water for our domestic purposes, water for the horse and vegetable garden. Water is the lifeblood of the country, we cannot survive without it. I am very concerned that the mine will both deplete the water table and that runoff of chemicals and contaminates will leech into it, rendering it useless for those of us who live close by.

*Dust.
Contaminated dust settling on our roof and all over our vegetable gardens and lawns. We need, and have a right to, clean uncontaminated household water. 2km is too close. No lead dust is acceptable or safe.

*Noise.
I do shift work and my sleep is precious to me. I live in Lue to enjoy the peace and quiet. At the moment I only hear the odd truck going through the village, but an increase in heavy traffic and mining noise is not acceptable.

*Property Value.
I sincerely believe that property values in Lue will severely decline. We will end up paying off a mortgage for a house that will loose value as no one will want to buy a home that is only 2km from a noisy, toxic, dust producing mine.

*Rehabilitation.
Another concern I have is with the lack of rehabilitation by the mine. Piles of toxic waste and dirt will be left to be eroded in storms and runoff into the local creeks and waterways. Apparently it will be unviable for Bowden's to fill in the finished pit. In this day and age how is it acceptable to leave an open mining pit with no re-hab or ongoing monitoring? They will come in, rape the land of its minerals and walk away.

*Increased Traffic.
An increase in truck traffic between LUE and MUDGEE will be dangerous. All the ore from Bowden's mine has to be transported by road. This is a school bus route and a tricky road to drive at the best of times with narrow bridges, bad corners, narrow carriageways and frequent wild life hazards including roos, wombats, goats, foxes etc. There is no room for error. Who will be responsible if a family is run off the road by a mining truck and, heaven forbid, someone is killed?

We have a great little community here in LUE. We help each other out when needed, whether it be helping to fix a fence if a tree falls on it, or fundraising with a cricket day to help out a family with a child in need. This mine is already dividing our community. Good communities are the fabric of Australian Society. Do we want to lose that? NO!
Please consider the little people. We will still be here left to deal with the mess long after Bowden's have gone. Is Lead and Zinc really that essential in todays world that it is worth ruining the lives of an entire village and community? All for a quick buck for a small, inexperienced mining company that will just cut and run.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my views and have a say.

Jane Roberts
17 Robert Hoddle Grove Mudgee NSW 2850

Bowdens Silver Mine
DA Application No SSD- 5765
Location Approximately 2km north east of Lue
Applicant Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd
Council area - Mid-Western Regional

As a Mudgee resident since 1987, parent, grandmother and allied health professional, I strongly oppose the development of the Bowdens Silver Mine.The detrimental effect of this proposed Silver mine is far reaching in every aspect of our lives. I appreciate the opportunity to make a submission against the development of this Bowden Silver Mine.

An individual’s health and wellbeing would be compromised on many levels. However of utmost concern is the preposterously high level of toxic chemical and in particular lead dust fallout from this proposed silver operation. From studies undertaken it appears that the lead byproduct from this Silver mine has a high level of bioaccessibility.

As an experienced allied health professional I am well aware of the adverse effects of lead toxicity on the wellbeing of all ages. In particular as a paediatric physiotherapist working with children with disability for over 30 years the well documented evidence linking lead poisoning with irreversible neurocognitive and behavioural disturbance in children is devastating to me. Such adverse effects are lifelong for not only the child but also for their families impacting all their life dimensions.

WHO states…“Young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and can suffer profound and permanent adverse health effects, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system. Lead also causes long-term harm in adults, including increased risk of high blood pressure and kidney damage. Exposure of pregnant women to high levels of lead can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and low birth weight.In particular lead can affect children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioural changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behaviour, and reduced educational attainment. Lead exposure also causes anaemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioural effects of lead are believed to be irreversible.” World Health Organisation - Lead Poisoning and Health August 2019


Not to be ignored is the pollution of the surrounding locality by the mine site’s continuous operational sound, night light, blasting vibration and excessive traffic flow. These factors are not acceptable and would result in mass evacuation and devaluation of the locality.

Community wellbeing and socioeconomic viability.
Local small villages within our region are prized gems preserving our district’s historical past, providing a valued alternative and affordable lifestyle for many and also adding significant tourism wealth to our local economy. At the heart of these villages are our small bush schools such as Lue Public School- so integral to a town’s survival. The risk of Lue Public School closure due to its close proximity to the proposed mine site with inevitable contamination of the byproducts of this silver mine is to be guarded against.The school’s closure would destroy the social fabric of this quaint bush village and should be guarded against at all costs.

The environmental health of Lue and surrounding regions would be sabotaged by this silver mine. Our country and community has just lived through the most severe year of drought and has been ravaged by fire. It is time to protect and restore our environment not to further destroy it. This Silver mine would contaminate and deplete our Mudgee river systems, Lawson Creek valley and watertables with disastrous consequence for residents, agricultural operations and tourism. If the proposed silver mine’s tailing dam is compromised toxins leaked into Lawson creek would be devastating. Just this school holidays my grandchildren and I have marvelled at the opportunity to observe the incredible birdlife on Lawson Creek’s Putta Bucca Wetlands. We have been spotting black swans nesting on the creek’s islands. Koala and Regent Honeyeater habitats are located in this proposed Silver mine’s location. It is imperative that we protect our region’s flora, fauna and natural ecology and not allow Bowdens Silver Mine to destroy it.
Jane Roberts

Too close to village of Lue and Lawsons Creek. Potential for lead poisoning. Potential to both drain and contaminate vital water supplies. Environment compromised.

I strongly object to Bowdens Silver mine proposal due to adverse effects it will definitely have upon the environment and families who live in the area.
The proposal will use an unsustainable amount of water (1857 megalitres of water annually) taken predominantly from our valley when we are only just recovering from the devastating effects of drought.
The toxicity of lead is highly concerning as there is no safe level of exposure to lead. 42% of extracted material will be lead. In comparison to 0.05% silver which is the main reason for the operations.
I do not see any sustainable, worthwhile or beneficial effects this mine could have for Lue and its surrounds.