Thursday, 18 January, 2007

ABC NT Local News

The Northern Territory Government is fighting a legal bid by an entrepreneur who is claiming tenure over multi-billion dollar uranium deposits in central Australia.

The Angela and Pamela Uranium deposits south of Alice Springs are estimated to be worth up to $2 billion.

Dozens of international mining companies have applied to explore the area but entrepreneur Norm McCleary believes he got in first.

When the Crown's reservation from occupation expired at midnight ACDT on December 6, he and five friends went into the desert to physically peg their claim.

The NT Government has rejected the claim because the mining warden denied Mr McCleary permission to go onto the Crown land that night.

Mr McCleary is now challenging that decision.

In the NT Supreme Court today, lawyers for the group said they would be seeking access to the warden's emails about his reasons for denying his permission.

The dispute has been set down for a two-day hearing in the Supreme Court from February 9.