The Marulan Region Chamber of Commerce, of which he is president, has loaned its support to the company, which is constructing the $254 million Lynwood Quarry at Marulan.

Mr Humphreys, who also sits on the Lynwood community consultative committee, said Holcim had spent over $500,000 addressing lighting impacts, following objections from Towrang residents.

In the past few weeks, residents raised further concerns about the company’s plans to shift its planned extraction pit 500 metres to the west, still within its boundary. The Progress Association said the change, contained in a modified development application to the State Government, raised fresh visual and environmental impacts. Member Geoff Pearson has criticised Holcim for not telling the community sooner of the change.

The Chamber doesn’t feel the same way. At its most recent meeting members passed a motion stating that it fully supported Holcim’s operation at Marulan.

“The repositioning of the pit 500 metres to the west on their property will minimise within those planning laws any impact on the community,” it states.

He said the motion was necessary given the “concerted attack on Holcim by a small group of people.”

“The Chamber and the overwhelming majority of the region’s community see Holcim and other extractive and mining companies as good neighbours, good corporate citizens and economically, are providing jobs and opportunities to over 400 workers and their families and flow on benefits to the whole region,” the document states.

Mr Humphreys said he was no apologist for the quarry industry and had initiated discussions with Holcim when community grievances about lighting impacts from the operation first arose.

But he believed the company had worked hard to address these through various measures, spending thousands of dollars in the process.

Mr Humphreys also defended the company’s decision to move the pit. Mr Pearson told the Post it was “unbelievable” that Holcim had only just realised the extraction point was put it in the wrong place.

“The latest attack fashions these people as geology experts,” Mr Humphreys said.

“Drill and core samples are not always 100 per cent accurate. It is not until extraction is started that quality and recovery percentages are certain and, as has been seen in other industries, the original drills were on the edge of the motherlode.”

The Chamber says it is in everyone’s best interests to identify the highest quality material.