Uranium mining would boost NT economy, says Minerals Council

Monday, 30 April, 2007

ABC NT Local News

The Northern Territory's peak resources body says uranium mining will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the NT economy if it gets under way.

Federal Labor overturned its longstanding 'no new uranium mines' policy at the national conference on the weekend.

NT Chief Minister Clare Martin voted in favour of the policy reversal.

The Minerals Council's CEO Kezia Purick says there are five areas in the Territory that are already being explored or are being targeted for exploration.

She says the development of just one mine site would be a huge economic stimulant.

"It could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, just from one project alone," she said.

"The employment of a new mine could be in the vicinity of two to 250 employees - that's direct full-time employees.

"Obviously, there'd be a lot of contract work, procurement of goods and services, particularly from Northern Territory-based businesses, and that could be anything from two to 500 different businesses supplying products and services."


More articles in this section ...