Drillers dig in at Red Centre site
NT News Business Week
DRILLING work has started at the Angela uranium prospect near Alice Springs.
Centralian company Gorey and Cole is carrying out the job.
The Cameco-Paladin joint venture was awarded an exploration licence by the Territory Government last October.
Several conditions were imposed before drilling could start, including:
A MANAGEMENT plan had to be submitted to the Government and approved.
A SECURITY bond had to be paid.
BASELINE environmental monitoring for dust and groundwater had to start.
AN ABORIGINAL Areas Protection Authority certificate had to be obtained.
There was extensive drilling of the area in the 1970s and 1980s.
The latest exploration project will drill a smaller number of holes to verify the uranium resource.
Drilling results will be used for a feasibility study, which will determine the possible economics of developing a mining operation.
The initial drilling program will take about seven months and include about 120 drill holes.
The holes will be plugged and capped and the area will be rehabilitated at the end of exploration.
Cameco-Paladin said no radioactive dust would be produced by the drilling.
"The amount of dust generated by drilling will be less than from a passing car and it will be captured in a dust suppression unit,'' the company said in a statement.
Reverse circulation drilling, which produces dust, will be used only for drilling through barren overlaying rock formations.
Once drilling gets to the uranium-bearing rock, diamond drilling will be used.
"This produces no dust,'' the company said.
Cameco said its health and safety officer would ensure all health and safety procedures were ``rigidly followed''.
Staff working on the drill rig will wear protective clothing, including face masks, during reverse circulation drilling, as a precautionary measure.
"Even so, uranium in its natural state is relatively safe, with core samples handled freely by geologists and the drilling crew,'' the company said.
"Normal hygiene measures are followed, particularly washing hands after handling uranium-bearing rock before eating or smoking.''
The Greens said the Northern Territory Government should not have approved the drilling.
Senator Scott Ludlam said the move was "provocative''.
Centralian company Gorey and Cole is carrying out the job.
The Cameco-Paladin joint venture was awarded an exploration licence by the Territory Government last October.
Several conditions were imposed before drilling could start, including:
A MANAGEMENT plan had to be submitted to the Government and approved.
A SECURITY bond had to be paid.
BASELINE environmental monitoring for dust and groundwater had to start.
AN ABORIGINAL Areas Protection Authority certificate had to be obtained.
There was extensive drilling of the area in the 1970s and 1980s.
The latest exploration project will drill a smaller number of holes to verify the uranium resource.
Drilling results will be used for a feasibility study, which will determine the possible economics of developing a mining operation.
The initial drilling program will take about seven months and include about 120 drill holes.
The holes will be plugged and capped and the area will be rehabilitated at the end of exploration.
Cameco-Paladin said no radioactive dust would be produced by the drilling.
"The amount of dust generated by drilling will be less than from a passing car and it will be captured in a dust suppression unit,'' the company said in a statement.
Reverse circulation drilling, which produces dust, will be used only for drilling through barren overlaying rock formations.
Once drilling gets to the uranium-bearing rock, diamond drilling will be used.
"This produces no dust,'' the company said.
Cameco said its health and safety officer would ensure all health and safety procedures were ``rigidly followed''.
Staff working on the drill rig will wear protective clothing, including face masks, during reverse circulation drilling, as a precautionary measure.
"Even so, uranium in its natural state is relatively safe, with core samples handled freely by geologists and the drilling crew,'' the company said.
"Normal hygiene measures are followed, particularly washing hands after handling uranium-bearing rock before eating or smoking.''
The Greens said the Northern Territory Government should not have approved the drilling.
Senator Scott Ludlam said the move was "provocative''.