Chained protesters arrested at NSW mine TWO protesters who chained themselves to a truck to try to stop work at the controversial Maules Creek coal mine project in northwest NSW have been cut free and arrested by police. At about midday (AEDT) on Tuesday Kailes Wild and Daniel Spencer locked themselves onto the truck carrying gravel for a spur rail line to the mine, operated by Whitehaven Coal, near Boggabri. Greenpeace spokeswoman Julie Macken said the pair were cut free and arrested by police at about 4.30pm and were expected to be charged. She told AAP two other protesters were arrested at a different location near the mine site and were fined on the spot for obstruction. On Monday, scores of activists linked to Greenpeace and the anti-coal and gas group Lock the Gate blockaded four entrances to the site to stop work vehicles going in. They argue the mine will destroy endangered woodland in the Leard State Forest, draw down the aquifer used by local farmers and release thousands of tonnes of coal dust onto surrounding farms. On Monday evening 75-year-old protester Raymond McLaren was cut free from a car he was chained to on an access road to the site and he was fined $420. Police confirmed that three other protesters were charged on Monday with hindering the working of mine equipment. Whitehaven says the Maules Creek project has passed a comprehensive, independent assessment process and protesters should respect the final judgment of authorities. A spokesman said on Tuesday that the Leard State Forest had been logged by private contractors to the NSW government for decades. He said the forest was the subject of a detailed assessment in the 1990s involving the NSW and federal governments, environmental groups and other NGOs for the development of comprehensive Regional Forest Agreements. Under the resulting community conservation act the Leard State Forest was specifically zoned for forestry and mining, the spokesman said in a statement. Greenpeace intends to target the ANZ bank's AGM in Brisbane on Wednesday, over the bank's involvement in the Maules Creek project.