Tuesday 28 February 2006
ABC NT Country Hour

Report by Adrienne Francis

It's a widely held perception, that uranium mining is damaging to environmental and human health. But is it?

Energy Resources Australia (ERA) CEO Harry Kenyon Slaney outlined the hazards his company faces uranium mining. ERA is the company which operates the Ranger Uranium Mine at Jabiru.

"There are alot of mythologies surrounding uranium. It is a very abundant mineral, it's widely available and is a relatively low level radiating mineral. We have low grade deposits in the NT and the associated radiation is easily handled. During the mining process there is very little risk to human health. The level of radio-activity you hear about is a stage well beyond anything that exists in this country."

(Uranium potentially becomes a health risk when converted and enriched offshore). The half life of uranium 238 is approximately 4.6 billion years.

"The radiation doses that a worker receives at the Ranger uranium mine is extremely low and can be compared to me spending 200 hours in an aeroplane each year."

The Ranger uranium mine has had 200 environmental incidents logged against it since it commenced and ERA is the first mining company to be successfully prosecuted in the Territory for environmental breaches.

"We have a very enviable record of managing our environmental impacts, we are heavily supervised and monitored and I am pleased to say we have not had any adverse impact on the surrounding environment. We are obligated to report all incidents, due to regulation."

Mr Slaney was unable to provide details of the greenhouse emissions at the Ranger mine.