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Olympic Dam uranium mine a threat to Australia’s groundwater

“Not only is the expansion at Olympic Dam going ahead without the consent of traditional owners, but tens of thousands of gigalitres of water per day is being sucked out of the Artesian Basin on Arabunna land to service the mine,”

Protesters gather at mine site, Sydney Morning Herald, July 16, 2010 –An anti-nuclear protester has chained himself to a four-wheel-drive blocking the road to BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam uranium mine in South Australia’s far north.About 40 protesters gathered at the mine site on Friday afternoon with the group mostly students from NSW.Spokeswoman Jay Fletcher said the group did not intend to leave until they had spoken with a representative from the mine. We’ll stay here as long as that takes,” she said.

Ms Fletcher said their action had stopped a large truck from entering the BHP Billiton site.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the protest and said it had been orderly so far.

She said patrols were diverting traffic around the scene.

Ms Fletcher said police had informed them the man locked to the vehicle would be arrested.

Another member of the protest group, Zane Alcorn, said their purpose was to highlight the catastrophic effects the mine and its planned expansion would have on traditional owners, their land and future generations.

“Not only is the expansion at Olympic Dam going ahead without the consent of traditional owners, but tens of thousands of gigalitres of water per day is being sucked out of the Artesian Basin on Arabunna land to service the mine,” he said.

“Australia is the driest continent on the earth and faces a massive water shortage. It is ludicrous that we are literally exporting our sacred and precious water.”

Protesters gather at mine site

July 17, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, opposition to nuclear, Uranium | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, climate change, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium, water