Privately-owned Gunnedah Resources has submitted three exploration licences that cover about 5525 hectares surrounding the Gloucester township and another area to the south-west of the town covering 2091ha.
Council planning and development director Glenn Wilcox said the council objected to the licences, expressing concerns about mining in the Avon and Gloucester river catchments, the Newcastle Herald reported.
The only other mine operating in the area is Gloucester Coal’s Stratford opencut mine. Mining at Stratford commenced in June 1995 with operations moving to the Bowen Road North Mine in 2003.
