Galway Bay fm newsroom - A county official says the environmental considerations would be enormous for a proposal for mineral mining in Connemara.
Canadian mining company MOAG is seeking a licence for prospecting in town lands such as Ballinahinch, Callow, Murvey and Dolan.
Connemara area councillor Noel Thomas raised the matter at this week's meeting in county hall where he said concerns are mounting locally on the nature of the project.
He said clarity is needed on whether it involves open-cast or tunnelling.
Councillor Gerry King said the proposal concerns SAC areas where local people are unable to develop anything.
Councillor Eileen Mannion told the meeting there is no local appetite for such a licence as locals can't build roads or houses.
A council official said the prospecting licence application is with the Department of Natural Resources for decision.
The meeting heard such a plan would carry a huge amount of environmental designations and would likely have to go to An Bord Pleanala while the council would also have to prepare a report for the board.
The Environment Minister Richard Bruton has stated that strict environmental criteria will be applied when assessing the application for exploratory mining in Connemara.
