Environmentalists have criticised a Northern Territory politician's visit to China.

Resources Minister Kon Vatskalis yesterday announced he had met in Nanjing with the East China Mineral

Exploration and Development Bureau (ECE), who have recently bought a 25% stake in a Central Australian

mine.

Mr Justin Tutty, uranium spokesperson for the Environment Centre, says the rare earths deposit at Nolans

Bore includes a commercial quantity of uranium, and large volumes of radioactive thorium waste.

According to Mr Tutty, the company has identified the preferred option of processing the ore into

yellowcake at a plant on Middle Arm.

'We've said from the outset that a uranium plant in Darwin Harbour is entirely inappropriate for Darwin

Harbour, but it appears that when the Government moved the goalposts to invite Inpex to Middle Arm,

they left the gate open to further inappropriate proposals like this one' said Mr Tutty.

'The Environment Centre called upon the Minister to rule out the Middle Arm processing plant, but instead

the company has been allowed to proceed with a piecemeal assessment for the mine.'

'This week the Minister is in China, celebrating significant foreign investment in this project, while we're left

wondering whether this government really expects the people of Darwin to welcome a complex radioactive

processing plant into Darwin Harbour.'

Ms Natalie Wasley, from the Arid Lands Environment Centre, says local concerns centre around the

extraction of water and the burial of thorium.

'Mining at Nolans Bore would tax the resources of the driest zone in the district.' said Ms Wasley.

'Further concerns exist for the long term management of the large volumes of ceoncentrated thorium

waste that the miner plans to bring back for burial on site.'

The company is currently drafting an Environmental Impact Statement for the mine, but has yet to declare

their plans for a processing plant.