The changes continue for opal miners in Lightning Ridge.  

With the Mining Amendment (Mineral Claims – Opals) Act 2023 coming into law on 24 October 2023, older claims from between 2015 and 2023 that were affected by invalid grants, renewals and transfers under previous legislation are now valid.

Following amendments to legislation, from 30 May 2025 miners can apply to renew a mineral claim up to two months prior to the day the mineral claim expires.  

Changes to how claims are made has been met with a mixed reaction on the ground in Lightning Ridge and nearby opal fields.

Previously, renewal claims could only be lodged via fax, mail or in person with NSW Resources. But now renewal claims can be made via email.  

However not everyone is happy with the update.  

President of the Glengarry Grawin Sheepyard Miners Association Marty Maxwell says the community is not happy with all the changes.  

"It is not something the association actually wanted," he said. 

"We'd like to see people who are mining come to Lightning Ridge. If they don't live here or they're not working the mines, we'd like to see them come into town and spend some money in town while they're registering their claims. 

"Now they can do it in Sydney and Lightning Ridge won't see any money out of them."   

The Glengarry Grawin Sheepyard Miners Association would like to see more prospecting, however their calls to the department are falling on deaf ears, according to Maxwell.  

"We weren't even notified that it was going to happen. 

"It's all very frustrating, what's happening with the department."  

Executive Officer and Company Secretary of the Lightning Ridge Miners' Association (LRMA) Kavitha Barron said the group was willing to work with the change, but they want more commitment from the government to reform opal mining as well.  

"Initially our stance was that we wanted people to visit Lightning Ridge, because number one it brings money and number two people can check out their claim in person," she said.  

"But a lot of our members prefer email.  

"Previously, the only available way to file was via fax, post or to physically go to the office, which is quite outdated."  

Barron says the LRMA is less concerned with the changes to electronic claims, and more worried about the government implementing the 81 recommendations that came from an independent review prepared by Terry Sheahan into the framework for small scale titles in NSW.  

The restructuring of the Opal Mining Act was one of the recommendations from the review.  

"The recommendations in the review were made 12 months ago and the government has not given indication if they're going to act on them," said Ms Barron.  

"It's important to us to open new ground and get our claims renewed over the counter and not wait seven days."  

Earlier this year in April, NSW Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos visited Lightning Ridge with Member for Barown Roy Butler to meet miners and landholders.  

Minister Houssos said the feedback from the opal fields will inform a draft response to the independent review's recommendations.  

A spokesperson for NSW Resources said the department is developing its response to the recommendations of the Independent Review.  

"Recent amendments to the Mining Regulation allow mineral claim renewal applications to be made electronically. The amendments provide applicants a simplified, more reliable, and expedient alternative for making their application.  

"The NSW Government is committed to taking steps to protect the interests of both the opal mining industry and landholders and minimise land conflict."  

For more information on changes to mineral license claims, or to read the NSW government's independent review into small-scale claims mining, you can visit NSW Resources.