Australia has bought back most of a contentious mining licence issued for a huge Chinese-run coal mine near prime agricultural land, officials said on Wednesday, but farmers are still not happy.
Chinese company Shenhua was granted the original exploration licence for the A$1.0 billion (US$770 million) Watermark mine near Gunnedah in New South Wales state in 2008 by a previous Labor government.
But the decision was challenged by local farmers and environmental activists, who blasted it as harmful to a region known for its rich soil, water resources and climate.
Large-scale mining in rural areas as well as foreign ownership of agricultural and mineral assets are sensitive topics in Australia, with Canberra knocking back several sales in recent years citing national interest.
Under the new arrangement, the current NSW Liberal government has taken back 51.4 per cent of the exploration licence for A$262 million.
