Alice Springs Uranium Mine: a step closer to confrontation
Elliot K
Perth Indymedia
Uranium miners have been licensed to explore deposits in Central Australia for the first time in nearly 20 years. The NT Government has granted "Cameco Australia" and Namibia-focused "Paladin Energy Minerals" the right to explore the Angela and Pamela deposits 25 kilometres south of Alice Springs. The decision prompted two protests over the weekend involving hundreds of people.
The exploration approval for the uranium project near Alice Springs raises the stakes in what is set to be a major confrontation between the uranium mining industry and the wider community... "Uranium mining anywhere is a tragedy. Uranium mining in the Alice Springs groundwater catchment is a travesty," says Greens Senator Scott Ludlam. "I am surprised the Paladin/Cameco consortium is so willing to pick a fight with one of Australia's most tight-knit and self-reliant communities, who have already formed the Alice Springs Angela Pamela group (ASAP), made up of medical professionals, environmental specialists, indigenous peoples and community activists."
Alice Springs Angela Pamela Collective:
http://www.alec.org.au/eng/projects/asap
Natalie Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre, says the Government should have blocked the application on behalf of the community. "The Territory Government seems to have completely disregarded the opposition they've hit at every stage of this process so far," she said.
"So I would encourage all of the Territory Government ministers and members to come along to any public events that are held in the near future and actually genuinely listen to people and their opinions on this." Ms Wasley says that process will involve risks to the area's ecosystem. "At exploration stage there is still potential for contamination because we are dealing with a radioactive substance," she said.
The deposits, 25km south of Alice Springs, were last drilled by Uranerz Australia in 1989 but up to 37 applications were made after the Territory Government lifted 6000sq km of Reservations from Occupation in December 2006.
Independent auditor Stantons International assessed the applications, with more than 200 public submissions against the applications were lodged. Arid Lands Environment Centre co-ordinator Jimmy Cocking said the decision was a "slap in the face for everyone in Alice Springs". "It seems to me the companies and Government are walking hand in hand to make this happen at the expense of the Central Australian people."
Senator Ludlam says: "Mining executives in cities thousands of kilometres away seem to think their uranium mine will be welcomed with open arms by the Alice community. As people get a more accurate idea of the unique ways in which uranium mining permanently contaminates the air, land and water, I imagine the community will be delivering an entirely different message... This is the solar century, and it's time we left nuclear weapons and uranium mining in the scrapheap of history where they belong," concluded Senator Ludlam.
The Northern Territory Chief Minister has guaranteed there will be no impact on the Alice Springs water supply as a result of a uranium mine proposal.
The Angela and Pamela sites were the subject of a court case in 2007 after Perth businessman Norm McCleary pegged a last minute stake on the land. Exploration rights were granted to Cameco and Paladin in February. "If the Angela and Pamela prospects live up to their potential, their value could run to the billions, creating years of economic benefit for Central Australia," Chief Minister Paul Henderson said when announcing the exploration rights.
Paladin is a West Australian company, also listed in Canada, which has interests in several deposits in South and Western Australia and the Kayelekera deposit in Malawi. Paladin also has a history of financial insecurity.
The exploration approval for the uranium project near Alice Springs raises the stakes in what is set to be a major confrontation between the uranium mining industry and the wider community... "Uranium mining anywhere is a tragedy. Uranium mining in the Alice Springs groundwater catchment is a travesty," says Greens Senator Scott Ludlam. "I am surprised the Paladin/Cameco consortium is so willing to pick a fight with one of Australia's most tight-knit and self-reliant communities, who have already formed the Alice Springs Angela Pamela group (ASAP), made up of medical professionals, environmental specialists, indigenous peoples and community activists."
Alice Springs Angela Pamela Collective:
http://www.alec.org.au/eng/projects/asap
Natalie Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre, says the Government should have blocked the application on behalf of the community. "The Territory Government seems to have completely disregarded the opposition they've hit at every stage of this process so far," she said.
"So I would encourage all of the Territory Government ministers and members to come along to any public events that are held in the near future and actually genuinely listen to people and their opinions on this." Ms Wasley says that process will involve risks to the area's ecosystem. "At exploration stage there is still potential for contamination because we are dealing with a radioactive substance," she said.
The deposits, 25km south of Alice Springs, were last drilled by Uranerz Australia in 1989 but up to 37 applications were made after the Territory Government lifted 6000sq km of Reservations from Occupation in December 2006.
Independent auditor Stantons International assessed the applications, with more than 200 public submissions against the applications were lodged. Arid Lands Environment Centre co-ordinator Jimmy Cocking said the decision was a "slap in the face for everyone in Alice Springs". "It seems to me the companies and Government are walking hand in hand to make this happen at the expense of the Central Australian people."
Senator Ludlam says: "Mining executives in cities thousands of kilometres away seem to think their uranium mine will be welcomed with open arms by the Alice community. As people get a more accurate idea of the unique ways in which uranium mining permanently contaminates the air, land and water, I imagine the community will be delivering an entirely different message... This is the solar century, and it's time we left nuclear weapons and uranium mining in the scrapheap of history where they belong," concluded Senator Ludlam.
The Northern Territory Chief Minister has guaranteed there will be no impact on the Alice Springs water supply as a result of a uranium mine proposal.
The Angela and Pamela sites were the subject of a court case in 2007 after Perth businessman Norm McCleary pegged a last minute stake on the land. Exploration rights were granted to Cameco and Paladin in February. "If the Angela and Pamela prospects live up to their potential, their value could run to the billions, creating years of economic benefit for Central Australia," Chief Minister Paul Henderson said when announcing the exploration rights.
Paladin is a West Australian company, also listed in Canada, which has interests in several deposits in South and Western Australia and the Kayelekera deposit in Malawi. Paladin also has a history of financial insecurity.