Australia’s uranium industry future – not looking too good

recent steps by BHP to cuts of its uranium program — from the delay of the uranium production expansion plan at the Olympic Dam project to the selling of a large Yeelirrie deposit located in Western Australia.

Recent Ranger and Olympic Dam issues along with various problems related to notable Australian uranium projects like Angela/Pamela, Kintyre, Oban, Wiluna and Koongarra, amongst others, have also caused concerns about the future development dynamics of the local uranium industry.

Australia’s uranium industry hits turbulence Mining.com, Vladimir Basov | February 8, 2013 Recent news from Australia raises serious concerns about the future development of its domestic uranium industry. While established players are exiting the market, others are lining up to explore new areas and have made some positive moves.

Open-pit mining operations at Ranger mine were terminated at the end of November 2012. To this date, Ranger mine was one of the largest uranium production centres worldwide with a total cumulative output of more than 100,000 tonnes of uranium oxide.

On Dec. 7, 2012, the operator of Ranger mine, Energy Resources of Australia Ltd. (ERA), announced that work on backfilling the pit had already started, with the first phase to be completed by the end of 2014.

Australia’s Liberal and Labor parties both deceitful about uranium mining in Northern Territory

Gloves off in Angela Pamela uranium mine scrap ABC News, Jane Bardon and Lucy McNally, 23 Aug 11,  ”…..The Country Liberals’ Robyn Lambley won the Araluen by-election last year while opposing development of the Angela Pamela uranium deposit after a backlash from Alice Springs residents.

The party has now changed its policy to say it will encourage all applications for uranium developments….

The Arid Land Environment Centre says neither party in the Territory can be trusted when it comes to the proposed Angela Pamela mine.

Opposition environment spokesman Peter Chandler took part in a debate in Alice Springs on the weekend and said the CLP would support a uranium mine there if it met environmental standards.

That prompted the Government to accuse the party of ignoring the community’s concerns on the issue.

Environment Centre spokesman Jimmy Cocking says a CLP government is more likely to approve a mine at the site, but he wouldn’t put it past the Labor party either.”In terms of policy outside of Angela Pamela they are both the same,” he said…http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-08-23/20110823angela-pamela-mine-scrap/2852248

Australia’s Northern Territory opposes Angela Pamela uranium mine plans

NT reversal cruels U-hopefuls’ plans TradingMarkets.com, 29 Sep 2010 –Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson has withdrawn support for Cameco Corporation’s and Paladin Energy’s proposed uranium mine near Alice Springs. The announcement came just two years after Cameco and Paladin won developmentrights for the Angela Pamela project and two weeks before a local by-election in the seat of Alice Springs. NT reversal cruels U-hopefuls’ plans | TradingMarkets.com

Cameco’s Central Australian uranium -Angela Pamela’s doubtful future

the mine is unlikely to go ahead due to poor economic viability. Yet another reason to ramp up the opposition to this marginal and unpopular mine.

Arid Lands Environment Centre, Jess Abrahams, 9 Sept 10, On the eve of the Federal election in Alice Springs, incumbent local member Warren Snowdon made an announcement that if they were re-elected, Labor would fund a study into the threat to Alice Springs’s groundwater supplies from a uranium mine at Angela Pamela.

Cameco’s planned uranium mine dangerously close to town’s water supply

No clean water, no Alice Springs. Is a uranium mine worth the risk? Judging by the experience of the Mirrar people in Kakadu — no way.

Kakadu’s tainted water is a no-go for Alice Springs, The Age, Jess Abrahams, Arid Lands Environment Centre, Alice Springs, 25 May 2010,” ………Here in Alice Springs, Canadian company Cameco wants to dig a uranium mine at Angela Pamela, just over 10 kilometres from the southern outskirts of town.

Cameco’s Central Australian mine likely to be a dud

A uranium hole in the heart
Green Left Daniel Clarke, Alice Springs 23 August 2009

“…………………….Monash University civil engineering lecturer Dr Gavin Mudd said US President Barack Obama’s push for a cut in the world’s nuclear weapons stockpiles would lead to a collapse in uranium prices.