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Ranger mine expansion short-sighted: ACF – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Ranger mine expansion short-sighted: ACF
ABC News Nov 17, 2008

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says it would be short-sighted to expand the Northern Territory’s Ranger uranium mine now that another major potential deposit has been found.

Energy Resources of Australia says it has found a potential further 40,000 tonnes of uranium oxide near the Ranger mine in Kakadu National Park, which could extend the mine’s life by seven years.

Dave Sweeny from the Conservation Foundation says focusing on the jobs it could bring will put the environment at a greater radioactive risk.

He says everyone at the Ranger mine could be employed for the rest of their working lives cleaning up the site.

“There is an obligation on Energy Resources Australia to clean up its mess, and its mess is considerable,” he said.

“They’ve got a legal requirement to keep radioactive tailings, which there’s a mountain of them out in Kakadu, to keep them out of the Kakadu environment for a period of not less than 10,000 years.”

Ranger mine expansion short-sighted: ACF – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

November 19, 2008 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized