Protest against northwest NSW mine

A protester has tried to block access to a coal loader at a Whitehaven Coal operation at Gunnedah to protest the company's Maules Creek mine development in NSW's northwest.

Protesters oppose clearing part of the Leard State Forest for the new $767 million mine near Boggabri.

They want federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt to halt the work because of questions over the approvals process.

Leard Forest Alliance spokeswoman Helen War said a 21-year-old man from Victoria early on Wednesday suspended himself from a tripod to block the gates to a coal rail loader at Whitehaven Coal's Gunnedah operation.

She said about 20 protesters were at the scene along with police and mine security guards.

Ms War said Whitehaven Coal had presented "false and misleading information" about biodiversity offsets to secure approval for the Maules Creek mine.

She said Mr Hunt should halt the mine development while the accusations are investigated at a federal level or "we might lose Leard forest while the environment minister dithers".

Whitehaven Coal has been contacted for comment.

The company has described ongoing protests against the Maules Creek mine as "a nuisance" but said it would not be deterred from continuing the project.

Ms War said Whitehaven Coal was under "criminal investigation" over the biodiversity offsets issue.

But a Whitehaven Coal spokesman said claims of a criminal probe were "totally ridiculous" and the company rejected them completely.

He also said the community was tiring of the protests.

"It's another tiresome and contrived act of defiance by a small few, which many in the local community are growing increasingly intolerant of."