Thursday, 18 January, 2007

ABC NT Local News

A mining entrepreneur has begun a legal battle in the Northern Territory Supreme Court to win tenure over 280 hectares of uranium-rich land in central Australia.

The Angela and Pamela deposits are about 25 kilometres from Alice Springs and are estimated to be worth up to $2 billion.

When the Crown lifted its reservation from occupation at midnight ACDT on December 6, Norm McCleary and five friends went out into the desert and pegged their claim.

Mr McCleary believes they have gazumped the multinational mining companies who waited until business hours to submit exploration applications to the Northern Territory Government.

In court today, Justice Stephen Southwood set the matter down for a two day hearing from February 9.