Energy Resources of Australia Ltd advised it has extended the orderly suspension of plant processing operations at the Ranger mine that commenced on January 28 as a precaution to ensure the levels in the Tailings Storage Facility remain below the authorised operating limit.

The Northern Territory has continued to receive significantly higher than average rainfall, with the Ranger mine recording the third highest wet season on record with total rainfall of 2,390.4 millimetres from September 1 2010 up until today.

ERA will extend the suspension of the processing plant operations until late July 2011 to allow the total process water inventory at the Ranger mine to reduce, dependent on future rainfall.

As a consequence, ERA's 2011 production is now expected to be approximately 2,400 tonnes of uranium oxide, down from the previously announced 2011 production expectation that was in the vicinity of 2010 production of 3,793 tonnes.