Alice divided on uranium exploration
Sarah Everingham
ABC - The World Today
PETER CAVE: In the town of Alice Springs a fierce debate has erupted over the prospect of a uranium mine about 25 kilometres to the south.
The Northern Territory Government has given the go ahead to a Cameco-Paladin joint venture to start uranium exploration at the deposit known as Angela.
Supporters of the project say it's just what's needed to boost the Alice Springs economy.
Opponents though, say that a uranium mine close to the town would pose huge health and environmental risks.
Sara Everingham reports.
(Sound of car driving on dusty road)
SARA EVERINGHAM: The Angela deposit lies along a dusty road south of Alice Springs.
The landscape is mostly rocks and red sand.
Isabelle Kirkbride has become familiar with this area.
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: It's used for, by tourists, to go and see the Yuaninga (phonetic) rock hole, and to go to the other communities that are out this way.
SARA EVERINGHAM: A Cameco-Paladin joint venture has been given a license by the Northern Territory Government to begin exploring for uranium here.
Isabelle Kirkbride is part of Families for a Nuclear Free Future, just one of several vocal groups that's formed in response.
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Well, it's only22 kilometres from the centre of town, and there's always a strong southerly blowing, like there is today. Often there is a strong southerly wind, so that blows straight into town.
SARA EVERINGHAM: So you're worried about dust?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yep, we're worried about dust. In the exploration process, dust will, it will be difficult to suppress dust, we believe.
And we're also very concerned about contamination to our water basin, because this is in the water basin, the water catchment basin, this site.
SARA EVERINGHAM: So underneath us then, is that what you're saying?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yeah, underneath us is our town's drinking water.
SARA EVERINGHAM: But there has been drilling done here before, is that right?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yeah, there has been drilling done here before, in the 1970s. And I think time has told us that any uranium activity is very dangerous.
STEFAN STANDEN: I think it's a great deposit.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Stefan Standen is the manager of the exploration project for Cameco-Paladin.
He says the Angela site is now much more economically viable.
STEFAN STANDER: We've seen significant increases in the uranium price, and the world outlook for uranium as an alternative source of energy has, than coal, has improved dramatically.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin is preparing to start drilling. It's just waiting for its mine management plan to be approved by the Northern Territory Government, and Stefan Stander believes that's not too far away.
As for concerns about dust, he says that's all been taken into account, and that several drilling methods will be used to make sure there's no risk to the residents of Alice Springs
STEFAN STANDER: We won't be generating any dust that contains uranium in it.
SARA EVERINGHAM: And he says the drilling will stop well above the aquifer.
STEFAN STANDER: I think if we go back into the history, and we look at the exploration that's already been conducted, it clearly shows that none of that exploration had any impact on the town water supply.
(Sound of drills)
SARA EVERINGHAM: Gorey and Cole Drillers has the drilling contract at the Angela site.
Viv Oldfield's the director.
He says the project is just what Alice Springs needs.
VIV OLDFIELD: We had 25 odd blokes that were a bit precarious on whether they'd have work or not, and we couldn't really get them back, because we didn't know if we were really going to have work for them.
So it would give them an opportunity obviously to sort of shore up all their commitments they've got with housing and family and all their loans, etc.
SARA EVERINGHAM: The Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan agrees the exploration brings clear benefits for the town.
DAMIEN RYAN: Alice Springs need to create industry, create work, for the longevity of Alice Springs.
The reaction of whether it's a uranium mine or not will be a decision made by other parties.
I mean, these sort of things have to go through the environmental agencies put up by both the Territory Government and the Federal Government, and that's where the decision will be.
I support growth in Alice Springs.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin believes more people in Alice Springs approve of its project than disapprove.
It commissioned market research that's found 52 per cent support it and 46 per cent are against.
The research is contested by those who oppose the exploration. On the streets of Alice Springs opinion is divided.
Roy Winther has lived in Alice Springs for 11 years.
ROY WINTHER: I think that if all the safeguards are followed, I think it will be fine, because a lot of the world has been using it.
You talk about the major accidents that have happened have been with reactors that are over 50 years old.
So I don't think I'm panicking as much as other people.
SARA EVERINGHAM: But local business owner Nathan King disagrees.
NATHAN KING: The environment in Central Australia is so pristine and I simply don't see how trucks and trains and equipment and blokes flying in and out of town, how that could not have a negative effect on what we love so much about living in Alice Springs.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin says it plans to explore at the Angela site for two years and there's a 50-50 chance a uranium mine could be developed at there, although any mine would be another five to seven years away.
The debate around uranium in the Alice is set to continue for some time yet.
PETER CAVE: Sara Everingham reporting.
The Northern Territory Government has given the go ahead to a Cameco-Paladin joint venture to start uranium exploration at the deposit known as Angela.
Supporters of the project say it's just what's needed to boost the Alice Springs economy.
Opponents though, say that a uranium mine close to the town would pose huge health and environmental risks.
Sara Everingham reports.
(Sound of car driving on dusty road)
SARA EVERINGHAM: The Angela deposit lies along a dusty road south of Alice Springs.
The landscape is mostly rocks and red sand.
Isabelle Kirkbride has become familiar with this area.
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: It's used for, by tourists, to go and see the Yuaninga (phonetic) rock hole, and to go to the other communities that are out this way.
SARA EVERINGHAM: A Cameco-Paladin joint venture has been given a license by the Northern Territory Government to begin exploring for uranium here.
Isabelle Kirkbride is part of Families for a Nuclear Free Future, just one of several vocal groups that's formed in response.
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Well, it's only22 kilometres from the centre of town, and there's always a strong southerly blowing, like there is today. Often there is a strong southerly wind, so that blows straight into town.
SARA EVERINGHAM: So you're worried about dust?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yep, we're worried about dust. In the exploration process, dust will, it will be difficult to suppress dust, we believe.
And we're also very concerned about contamination to our water basin, because this is in the water basin, the water catchment basin, this site.
SARA EVERINGHAM: So underneath us then, is that what you're saying?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yeah, underneath us is our town's drinking water.
SARA EVERINGHAM: But there has been drilling done here before, is that right?
ISABELLE KIRKBRIDE: Yeah, there has been drilling done here before, in the 1970s. And I think time has told us that any uranium activity is very dangerous.
STEFAN STANDEN: I think it's a great deposit.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Stefan Standen is the manager of the exploration project for Cameco-Paladin.
He says the Angela site is now much more economically viable.
STEFAN STANDER: We've seen significant increases in the uranium price, and the world outlook for uranium as an alternative source of energy has, than coal, has improved dramatically.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin is preparing to start drilling. It's just waiting for its mine management plan to be approved by the Northern Territory Government, and Stefan Stander believes that's not too far away.
As for concerns about dust, he says that's all been taken into account, and that several drilling methods will be used to make sure there's no risk to the residents of Alice Springs
STEFAN STANDER: We won't be generating any dust that contains uranium in it.
SARA EVERINGHAM: And he says the drilling will stop well above the aquifer.
STEFAN STANDER: I think if we go back into the history, and we look at the exploration that's already been conducted, it clearly shows that none of that exploration had any impact on the town water supply.
(Sound of drills)
SARA EVERINGHAM: Gorey and Cole Drillers has the drilling contract at the Angela site.
Viv Oldfield's the director.
He says the project is just what Alice Springs needs.
VIV OLDFIELD: We had 25 odd blokes that were a bit precarious on whether they'd have work or not, and we couldn't really get them back, because we didn't know if we were really going to have work for them.
So it would give them an opportunity obviously to sort of shore up all their commitments they've got with housing and family and all their loans, etc.
SARA EVERINGHAM: The Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan agrees the exploration brings clear benefits for the town.
DAMIEN RYAN: Alice Springs need to create industry, create work, for the longevity of Alice Springs.
The reaction of whether it's a uranium mine or not will be a decision made by other parties.
I mean, these sort of things have to go through the environmental agencies put up by both the Territory Government and the Federal Government, and that's where the decision will be.
I support growth in Alice Springs.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin believes more people in Alice Springs approve of its project than disapprove.
It commissioned market research that's found 52 per cent support it and 46 per cent are against.
The research is contested by those who oppose the exploration. On the streets of Alice Springs opinion is divided.
Roy Winther has lived in Alice Springs for 11 years.
ROY WINTHER: I think that if all the safeguards are followed, I think it will be fine, because a lot of the world has been using it.
You talk about the major accidents that have happened have been with reactors that are over 50 years old.
So I don't think I'm panicking as much as other people.
SARA EVERINGHAM: But local business owner Nathan King disagrees.
NATHAN KING: The environment in Central Australia is so pristine and I simply don't see how trucks and trains and equipment and blokes flying in and out of town, how that could not have a negative effect on what we love so much about living in Alice Springs.
SARA EVERINGHAM: Cameco-Paladin says it plans to explore at the Angela site for two years and there's a 50-50 chance a uranium mine could be developed at there, although any mine would be another five to seven years away.
The debate around uranium in the Alice is set to continue for some time yet.
PETER CAVE: Sara Everingham reporting.