Tuesday, 16 January, 2007

ABC NT Local News

has backed plans to explore for uranium on land 25 kilometres south of the town.

More than 40 international uranium mining companies have applied to explore the area.

Fran Kilgariff says the potential mine would be close enough for workers to live in the town and would help boost the local economy.

She says exploration should go ahead despite sharing environment group concerns mining there could affect the town's water supply.

"We obviously would need to exercise care that there's no pollutants into the town water supply," she said.

"If there's an environmental impact statement, then I guess that's the sort of thing that they would address, but that certainly is an issue for the town.

"It's a very good opportunity and we don't actually know exactly how it will be mined, and what sort of processes there will be and how they will affect the watertable.

"So I think we go ahead and we have a look, and if it's safe, and it doesn't pollute the watertable then it would be very good I think for Alice Springs."