Under the Mining Act, written compensation agreements need to be signed and lodged with the government seven days before accessing the land.

But Mantle Mining exploration manager Callum Lamont is unfazed by residents' move to erect signs, saying the company has strong relationships with private residents whose land they intend to drill on.

"We're at various stages of negotiation with the 10 more landowners we intend to work with on the remaining bore holes. Three agreements are signed and only two have objected," he said.

Most of the objections Mantle had received related to the agricultural use of the land.

The company would not be drilling for the next four to six weeks while it waited on coal test results and tried to secure more access agreements from landowners, he said.