Parents concerned about lead contamination in Lue

The biggest risk at the top of the minds of the group of residents, all of which have young children, is the risk for lead contamination as a result of the Bowdens Silver Project.

Bowdens Silver Project in Lue was given the go-ahead by the NSW Independent Planning Commission on Monday, April 3. The project will have approval to operate until 2046 including its site rehabilitation phase.

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The mine seeks to excavate 95,000 tonnes of lead as part of its operations with a total of two million tonnes of silver, lead and zinc ore a year.

The Department of Planning recommended that blood testing be carried out on residents in Lue and surrounding area as part of a 44-page document which also outlines obligations for water safety, managing contamination risks, air quality and odour control and ongoing community consultation.

"I wouldn't call it safe, because once we start blood lead level testing there's no reversing that if our levels are elevated," Jade Miskle said.

"We can monitor it and go and test it every week if we want to. But... once they're elevated - well what's the acceptable level? To me there is none, because those damages are irreversible.

"That will cost us thousands, we've got to have access to services to actually then help our children with the health consequences that they face."

A spokesperson for Bowdens Silver said a number of independent risk assessments determined that the mine would not pose any risk to residents.

"Bowdens Silver has undertaken a rigorous assessment process that has been underway since 2016 and involved extensive community consultation over that seven-year period," the spokesperson said.

"As part of the assessment process, Bowdens completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) including a Human Health Risk Assessment that involved an extensive evaluation of potential exposure through a number of different pathways.

"Importantly, this assessment was independently peer-reviewed and then subsequently independently peer reviewed again by the NSW Department of Planning's (DPE) own consultants," the spokesperson said.

"Furthermore, government agencies such as the NSW Environment Protection Authority and NSW Health also assessed. The outcomes of all these reviews and assessments concluded that the Project presents no health risks (caused by lead or other factors) to the community.

"The kids are vulnerable enough as it is, because their little brains and bodies are developing so rapidly, they're more likely to take in exposure than us," Lisa Price said.

"They play in the dirt, they put things in their mouths, so that makes their exposure so high and everything irreversible. There's proof of lower IQ, learning difficulties, behavioural issues, kidney and liver dysfunction. So there's high toxicity in their blood because their kidneys aren't doing what healthy kidneys should do. All of this if completely irreversible, they will have that for the rest of their lives."

The Bowdens Silver spokesperson said voluntary and free blood testing will form part of a larger social impact plan aimed at reassuring residents.

"Bowdens Silver, as part of the EIS, offered the provision of a baseline blood lead level testing program, to assist residents in understanding their existing exposures prior to the mine commencing," the spokesperson said.

"Further testing at ongoing intervals during operations to reassure the community about health and safety will also be provided. The details of the monitoring program will form part of the Social Impact Management Plan. Testing will be voluntary and not mandated."

In March, independent testing of water samples taken from household rainwater tanks within a 18 kilometre radius of Cadia Valley Operations near Orange, in a number of cases, were found to contain high levels of heavy metals, including lead.

The NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the gold mine near Orange its finalised pollution Prevention Notice notice over management of dust expulsion.

Dangerous heavy metals including lead have been identified in air and nearby resident water tanks. Investigations by the state's peak environmental body continue.

The spokesperson for Bowdens Silver refuted any claims that the mine would pose any similar risk to Cadia.

"Mining operations at the Cadia Gold Mine cannot be compared to the Bowdens Silver Project. The Cadia operations are massive compared to Bowdens," the spokesperson said.

"In terms of processing, Cadia is over 15 times the size compared to what is proposed at Bowdens. The extraction of different minerals requires different mining and processing methodologies which generate different outcomes to manage. Furthermore, the Cadia project experiences well-documented matters that are expressly unique to that project."

In February, a convoy of more than two dozen tractors and supporters in their vehicles drove into Mudgee, slowing down traffic amid scattered horns of support from some drivers.

The tractorcade as it was called, was organised by Lue Action Group (LAG) to bring attention to what the group calls a dangerous and potentially damaging mine, and was timed to coincide with a public hearing in Mudgee.

Set for this weekend, another convoy has been planned and will assemble at Gulgong Showground at 10am on Saturday, June 3. In addition, a public meeting will be held in Gulgong at the CWA Hall at 6pm on Thursday June 15. Development of the mine is expected to commence in the second half of 2024.