Landowners in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales have succeeded in preventing a coal miner from exploring on their properties, in a ruling that the miner warned could see all natural resources in the state "sterilised".

Speaking after the NSW Land and Environment Court overturned Hume Coal's permission to explore on private lands in the Southern Highlands, the miner urged the state government to overturn the ruling.

Street Talk can reveal that Apollo is working in a heavyweight consortium with Pennsylvania coal exporter Xcoal Energy & Resources, the largest exporter of coal in the United States and founded by coal legend Ernie Thrasher. Credit:Bloomberg

The case focused on section 31 of the state's Mining Act, which says explorers cannot disturb "significantly improved" parts of private property.

Justice Preston ruled on Tuesday that paddocks containing crops or equestrian facilities were the product of labour and could therefore be considered to be "significant improvements".