New ballot for Lightning Ridge opals

A ballot for five new opal prospecting blocks near Lightning Ridge will be conducted this month.

The ballots will be held for five days commencing on Monday 22 until Friday 26 October, with one ballot per day.

The ballots work similar to a lottery, names are drawn out of a hat, and the winners must have completed environmental training with the Department of Primary Industries before exploration can commence.

The release of these opal prospecting blocks on the Kurrajong property will provide new opportunities for opal prospecting and mining, securing the future of the opal industry.

All new titles will be subject to very strict environmental conditions which will ensure that any disturbed land will be rehabilitated back to useable land.

Protection of the local environment is paramount to new mining in Lightning Ridge - all sensitive areas have been identified including significant vegetation and areas of aboriginal cultural heritage.

The ballot system ensures that everyone has the same chance to potentially prosper.

Winners of the ballots must have completed an environmental awareness course before any physical work can commence.

The moratorium preventing registration of claims on Kurrajong will remain in place until after the opal prospecting licence for that area is granted.

This is the second lot of ballots to be held in OPA4 area with the previous ballots being for the Wee Warra property at the end of 2005.

The release of the Kurrajong property follows a recent study of existing operations within OPA 4, which showed improved environmental outcomes.

It was just one of several environmental assessments of the Kurrajong property which have been commissioned by the Department of Primary Industries in the last year.

The ballots, which require a non-refundable registration fee of $25, will take place at the DPI Lightning Ridge office.