The Hume Coal Project has said investors were losing faith in the political process after local MPs supported a petition calling for a ban on any current or proposed mining activities in the area of its proposed metallurgical coal mine.

“There is a loss of faith in the political process by investors when [local politicians] prejudge and publicly voice their opposition, in the absence of the facts, before a development application is lodged with the NSW government and dealt with under NSW planning law,” said Ben Fitzsimmons, a spokesperson for the Hume Coal Project.

The Hume Coal Project includes an underground coal mine producing around 3 million tpy of metallurgical and industrial coal from the Wongawilli coal seam. The project is located in the Southern Highlands region of NSW.

The company, which is backed by Korean steel company, POSCO, is planning to submit the Environmental Impact Statement to the New South Wales government towards the end of this year.

“Once the EIS is submitted, both local MPs will have the facts readily available and be able to make a decision based on fact not the exaggerated claims and mistruths about Hume Coal and the proposed development,” continued Fitzsimmons.

Edited by Jonathan Rowland.