In a media release the company stated they were currently undertaking an Environmental Impact Statement and Definitive Feasibility Study for a new open-cut gold mine at Regis’ McPhillamys gold project, which will require a 70km pipeline to bring waste water from Springvale Mine and Mt Piper Power Station.  

If approved for development, the mine is expected to create 200 jobs over 12 months of construction and 150 direct jobs over the mine’s estimated 10 year life time. 

Regis’ NSW manager, Rod Smith, told the Lithgow Mercury the vast majority of jobs would be filled by locals. 

“Absolutely. I would expect 90 per cent of the work force to be Central West based.”

Mr Smith said a pipeline between Lithgow and Blayney would benefit the community beyond the mine’s lifetime. 

“It would be a piece of legacy infrastructure that’s connecting a water-rich area to a water-poor area and that could be used long-term to benefit the Central West.”

Regis has begun to contact property owners on the proposed route of the pipeline. The pipeline will be buried at least 80cm below the ground’s surface. 

“They [property owners] will receive financial compensation according to statutory guidelines firstly for access to their land and secondly for any impact on their land caused by the easement,” Mr Smith said.

Regis announced in July the company had entered a non-binding heads of agreement with Centennial Coal and EnergyAustralia to use water from Mt Piper Power Station and Springvale Mine. 

The 70km pipeline is expected to pump 4-5 gigalitres of water per year to the new mine. 

Despite speculation over the future of Mt Piper and Springvale Mine due to a legal challenge in the Land and Environment Court, Mr Smith said he was confident the court case would not interfere with Regis’ plans.

“At this point we don’t see a cross connection because we are accessing surplus groundwater that is currently discharged or stored.”