The NSW government is seeking public feedback as it tries to develop a plan to exploit the state's coal and gas resources to meet rising global demand for energy.
NSW Planning Minister Tony Kelly says the plan will aim to minimise the impact of coal mining on the environment and take into account surrounding communities.
"What we hope to do out of this is define areas where exploration of any minerals are likely to go over the next 25 years and where it's not likely to go," Mr Kelly told journalists in Sydney.
"And to try and minimise the impacts on both the environment and the community with any of those developments that occur.
The government on Wednesday released a scoping paper detailing the top issues facing the state's four coal mining regions - the Hunter, Gunnedah and the Western and Southern coalfields - for public comment.
The paper says most of the future growth in the NSW coal and coal seam gas industry is expected to occur in the northern parts of the state.
Mr Kelly said the decision to develop a strategy arises from a recent surge in demand for Australian minerals and the past impact on mining on other primary industries such as farming and horse breeding.
"They should be able to co-exist," Mr Kelly said.
"Because of the growing worldwide demand for our mineral resources, we've had to take a new line with this and come up with a strategy."
But NSW opposition mining spokesman Duncan Gay said Labor, which is expected to lose government at the March 26 state election, has had 16 years to develop a mining strategy.
"Now, on the eve of an election, the best they can come up with is a scoping paper," Mr Gay said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The public will not be fooled by this farcical announcement.
Mr Kelly also said the government is inclined to ban the mining practice of BTEX fracking, which the Queensland government banned late last year, but he wants community input before going ahead.
The practice of fracking - also known as hydraulic fracturing - involves pumping a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into a bore site to force the gas to the surface.
Reports from the US suggest BTEX, a mixture of the chemicals benzene, toluene, ethylene and xylene, may have contaminated supplies of drinking water.
NSW Greens MP and mining spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann re-iterated The Greens' call for a moratorium on coal seam gas exploration.
"There is nothing in this announcement to give comfort to those communities currently under siege by coal seam gas companies," Ms Faehrmann said in a statement on Wednesday.
The scoping paper will be on display for 10 weeks from February 2 to April 15.
A public meeting to discuss the issue raised in the paper in will be held in Gunnedah on February 10, followed by further meetings in the Illawarra and the Hunter.
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