The NSW Land and Environment Court will decide today whether to grant an injunction stopping gold mining exploration work at Lake Cowal, north of West Wyalong.

Recently, the developer announced plans to increase drilling activity in coming months.

However, the Mooka Traditional Owners Council alleges Aboriginal artifacts within the exploration zone have been damaged or endangered by the work, despite a protocol to protect them.

The mining company, Homestake Gold, has opposed the injunction.

Instead, it has asked the court to allow an archaeologist to relocate any artifacts on access roads to the National Parks and Wildlife Office in Forbes for return at a later date.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service initially opposed Homestake's application, saying the company should have applied to the service for consent to remove the relics.

Notwithstanding, it has now told the court temporary relocation of the objects would not be an inappropriate response.

The chairman of the Traditional Owners Council, Neville Williams, told the court he remained completely opposed to the relocation of the relics, and that a stop-work order was the only sure way of protecting them.