The Department of Planning and Environment compliance officers inspected four mines in total in the Central West region in November 2015 to ensure that they were meeting the conditions of their approval.

The Department has doubled the number of compliance officers in the field across NSW to monitor and enforce the conditions placed on State significant development such as mining.

“Our compliance officers conduct spot checks without warning, regular inspections and audits as well as work with companies and communities to ensure that companies are sticking to the rules,” a spokesperson for the Department said.

The Department can issue the highest on-the-spot fines in the country for breaches of conditions.

Companies can also be prosecuted in court for breaching conditions, with the most severe breaches attracting fines of up to $5 million.

The Ivanhoe North mine was also inspected by the compliance officers in the Lithgow area and the Moolarben coal mine and Wilpinjong coal mine were inspected in the mid-western area.