24 | Mid-Western Living | SPRING 2026 BOWDENS SILVER A step closer to more jobs for the communities of Lue, Rylstone, Kandos and Mudgee Bowdens Silver is a local resource company, 100% owned by Australian public company Silver Mines Limited. Bowdens Silver is the largest undeveloped silver project in Australia and one of the largest globally and is located near Lue, approximately 26km east of Mudgee in central New South Wales. The project will mine silver, as well as zinc and lead, via open-cut mining methods over 16.5 years. Silver will account for approximately 85% of the mine’s total revenue. Mining will involve the extraction and processing of up to 2 million tonnes of ore material per annum to produce a silver/lead concentrate and a zinc concentrate for sale and smelting off site. Why is this project important? The Bowdens Silver mine proposal is a $350 million project that will create more than 320 jobs during construction and more than 220 ongoing jobs for the local communities of Lue, Mudgee, Rylstone and Kandos. The project has the potential to future-proof employment in the region, helping locals continue to live and work in their communities for decades to come. Silver is a highly sought-after metal used in a range of high-tech industries, including electric vehicles and photovoltaic cells in solar panels. Australia has the potential to strengthen its position as a reliable supplier of critical and high-value minerals, supporting industries essential to a more technologically advanced and lower-emissions future. For Lue and neighbouring townships, a project of this scale has the potential to contribute to the longterm strength and resilience of the local community, while connecting a small regional NSW community to industries and technologies being developed and used around Australia and the world. For regional NSW, the benefits can extend well beyond the mine gate, creating local employment, supporting regional contractors and businesses, increasing economic activity and providing opportunities for people to build careers close to home. For Lue and surrounding communities, this could mean more people living, working and investing locally. Closer to final determination The Bowdens Silver project is close to returning to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC), following the completion of its comprehensive assessment work. Once the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has completed its assessment, it will be handed over to the IPC to make its determination. We encourage the community to provide their supportive submissions to the IPC once the project is open to its comments phase. The project remains underpinned by robust, independently reviewed studies, with a continued focus on addressing community concerns and meeting all regulatory requirements. Updated biodiversity studies have been provided to reflect the most current legislative requirements. This is not a new project, it is the same project, now returning with updated information. The core design, scale and intent of the project are the same. There has been no material change to the key elements that formed the earlier assessment and that was previously approved. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT Scan the QR code to visit our website for further information and contact details.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI3ODI1