Tuesday 28 March 2006
ABC NT Local News

The Northern Territory Government says it is hard to know whether the Territory will be the first jurisdiction to sell uranium to China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed it is ready to sign an agreement with Australia on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, paving the way for uranium sales.

Territory Chief Minister Clare Martin says it would be up to Rio Tinto to decide whether China can buy uranium from the active Ranger mine.

She has restated Labor's policy of no new uranium mines, despite extensive mineral exploration being under way in the Territory.

"There is a large difference between exploration and any new mine coming on line," she said.

"We're very proud of the fact we've got lots of exploration at the moment and we're certainly very supportive of that, but there is certainly no new uranium mine in the Territory at the moment.

"There's a long time between minerals being found and operations getting up and going."