Wednesday, 8 November, 2006

by Emma King
ECNT

Alice Springs' clean water and air may be threatened after a significant uranium deposit was officially released for exploration by NT Mines Minister Natt today, the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) and Environment Centre NT (ECNT) said.

"The Angela/Pamela uranium deposit is located just 25 km south of Alice Springs, within the town's water catchment," ECNT uranium campaigner Emma King said. "Up until today the deposit was under a special category under the Mining Act called 'reservation from occupation' which prevented any mining or exploration activity in the area.

"Uranium mining activity at the location of this deposit poses a direct threat to both ground and surface water which feeds the Roe Creek borefield. The government's own Draft Alice Springs Water Resource Strategy states that 'the surface catchments and aquifer systems of the region are interconnected'[1].

"I understand that the type of deposit found at Angela/Pamela is suitable for in situ leach mining (ISL), a mining process which is illegal in every other OECD country. This process, if approved, would seriously threaten the health of local groundwater."

As well as impacts on water, any activity which disturbs the uranium deposit would result in a release of radon gas and other radioactive elements into the environment.

"Radon gas remains radioactive for approximately three weeks, which is plenty of time for it to reach Alice Springs" Arid Lands Environment Centre co-ordinator Tim Collins said.

"If Radon gas or its decay progeny are ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, risks of cancer and other health problems are greatly increased."

Both Environment Centres call on Mines Minister Natt to re-instate reservation from occupation RO1292 to protect the health of Alice Springs residents and the local and global environment, and to stop encouraging uranium mining in the NT.