Canadian mining company TinOne Resources has applied for a metallic minerals exploration licence, number 6216, for an area covering about 570 square kilometres, located about 35 kilometres south of Wagga.

The application's area stretches east from Yerong Creek to Kyeamba and south from Maxwell to Holbrook, and includes Mangoplah and parts of Cookardinia and Big Springs.

TinOne did not respond to a request for comment, but its prior business partner described the company as having been "formed to capitalise on the electric vehicle applications of tin".

Mangoplah farmer Bruce Klimpsch said he had contacted TinOne but they had "kept their cards close to their chest" about which metals they were looking for.

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"The issue they will have, like every other mine, is that they won't find the water they need," he said.

"I'm guessing they are after tungsten as the American and Chinese are calling it an essential element and there was a mine here."

Mr Klimpsch said farmers would be "very cautious" of mining development in the region.

"The biggest worry to me is how they would get the ore out, as that would probably impact me more than a mine itself because we have the old railway through our place."

Mangoplah Store owner Paris Oldfield said mining's "jobs and growth" could appeal to some people, but farmers would oppose it.

"If it comes with pollution, it's bad new for the Riverina," Mr Oldfield said.

"A lot of people get their water from the ground over here and if anything got into the water table it would destroy their business."

Mangoplah has a history of small-scale tin and gold mining, mostly between 1909 and 1926, and had a tungsten mine in the early 1950s.

Tin is widely used in electronics and could be in greater demand as more governments announce plans to phase out combustion engines.

Mangoplah fourth-generation cropping and livestock farmer Don Lloyd said he was "very wary of mining exploration in this area".

"We're prime agricultural land and food is important ... go and do it somewhere where there can't be any agriculture at the moment ... it would be a sad thing to see it ruined by mining," he said.

The exploration application will be assessed by the NSW government.

Federal Riverina MP Michael McCormack said he will "take very close heed of what the people of Mangoplah tell me before coming in 100 per cent behind the venture".

"We've only got so much farmland. The farmland at Mangoplah is among the best in Australia. I would take that very much into account," he said.

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