CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - Nevada's mining industry has lost an early legal bid to keep Nevadans from voting on a ballot measure that would dramatically increase mining taxes in the richest gold mining state in the nation.

District Judge James Wilson Jr., at a hearing today in Carson City, refused to block a coalition called Nevadans for Fair Mining Taxes from pursuing an initiative that would make mines pay taxes before instead of after deducting most expenses.

But the judge agreed with the industry that the initiative should be reworded to make it clear such a change would have tripled the proceeds tax on mines in 2008 from about $91 million to about $284 million.

That means supporters will have to refile the petition and start over collecting signatures.