The Northern Territory Environment Centre has described the land around the Angela and Pamela uranium deposits as an important ecological area that needs to be preserved.

Two companies have been given exploration rights for the deposits, which are 25 kilometres south of Alice Springs and estimated to be worth $2.5 billion.

But the Environment Centre's Emma Young says use of the area should be kept to low impact activities like tourism.

"It was identified in the NT draft parks masterplan as a site of national biodiversity and conservation significance. It's not actually within the NT parks structure at the moment, but it was identified as being a very important ecological area that should be preserved."

She says new mines could also impact the town's drinking water supply.

"The deposits are located within the Alice Springs water catchment area and that'll have direct and indirect impacts on the quality and also on the amount of water that's available to Alice Springs township."

An Alice Springs based anti-nuclear lobby has also raised concens over the deposits.

Natalie Wasley from the Arid Lands Environment Centre says many people in the community are opposed to the development of a uranium mine so close to the town.

"I would like to speak with the companies and I think that there's enough sentiment around the communities for various groups and individuals to approach the companies and ask perhaps for a public forum where those communities could identify what they would be intending to do with the site and any safeguards and mining techniques they'll be using."