Environmental activists…launched an unprecedented court challenge on climate change grounds to Anglo-Swiss miner Xstrata's plans for a mammoth Australian coal mine. Brought by landowners and green group Friends of the Earth, the case is seeking a ban…on the Aus$6 billion (US$6.2 billion) Wandoan open-cut mine…Believed to be the first ever Australian court challenge to a mining project on climate grounds, it argues that the emissions from mining and burning the coal would have a significant impact on the local and global climate…The company…insisted it had "followed a rigorous environmental assessment and review process…"…Xstrata's lawyers plan to call expert environmental witnesses and will also argue that there will be massive economic benefits to the local community.