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Huge copper/uranium mine plan might be abandoned, trend towards recycling metals adds to poor market prospects for BHP’s Olympic Dam

Olympic Dam is surely under review,” said UBS mining analyst Glyn Lawcock. “It’s not an issue of finding the cash,” he said, but rather ensuring a good return on the investment……

Further curbing the appetite for refined copper, BHP now sees recycled scrap meeting up to 50 percent of China’s overall demand in the coming year for the metal, up from 35 percent now.

there is a much bigger question mark over it [Olympic Dam new mine] now

BHP Olympic Dam delay would tighten copper supply Reuters, By James Regan SYDNEY | Fri Jul 6, 2012 “….. A 25 percent drop in benchmark international copper prices since early 2011 has eroded potential returns from the project, and the economic slowdown in top base metal consumer China has dampened the demand outlook.

BHP’s scheme to quadruple output from Olympic Dam – the fourth-largest known copper deposit and largest uranium source in the world – is one a growing number analysts believe likely to be shelved until markets stabilize…. London copper prices have fallen to around $7,650 a metric ton (1.1023 tons) from a peak over $10,000 in early 2011 as big copper buyers such as car and computer manufacturers slow consumption… Continue reading →

July 10, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, business and costs | Leave a comment

Fukushima Report castigated governments for poor attention to radiation and health issues

Comments from  Report of  The Diet’s Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission    “…... The report prodded the central and local governments to address health issues on grounds that exposure of even 100 millisieverts or less could lead to problems.

It said the 20-millisievert standard for reviewing evacuation zones was too high, especially when considering the health of children and pregnant women.

The commission also castigated the central and Fukushima prefectural governments for not taking steps to assess health problems caused by internal radiation .”exposure”….”   http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201207060088

July 10, 2012 Posted by | health, Japan | Leave a comment

“Community owned nuclear power stations” suggested to solve problem of public distrust

Perhaps the government simply accepts no-one will ever trust it on nuclear power. 

How not to solve nuclear power’s trust problem  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/jul/09/nuclear-power-energy-secrecy?newsfeed=true    Continued secrecy, shown in stupidly brief minutes of official meetings, and entrenched attitudes lead to daft ideas like community-owned reactors The public does not trust the government to be objective on nuclear power, a committee of MPs conclude today .

This is hardly surprising, as the MPs note: “The government’s position as an advocate for nuclear power makes it difficult for the public to trust it as an impartial source of information . Continue reading →

July 10, 2012 Posted by | marketing, UK | 3 Comments

Strike and problem of decaying concrete at Canada’s nuclear power plants

those employees should also be demanding safety in their workplace as well. At least one Candu plant – Gentilly-2 in Quebec – is decaying .

The plant is one of many that regulators say is operating well past its expected life of 25 to 30 years

Major Problems Facing Canada’s Nuclear Sector http://www.care2.com/causes/major-problems-facing-canadas-nuclear-sector.html#ixzz20GmGP3Pi by Amy Boughner July 9, 2012 Canada’s nuclear industry is once again facing major issues. More than 800 Candu Energy employees  are on strike as of the morning of July 9, looking for higher wages. The scientists, engineers and technologists work at Candu plants in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Continue reading →

July 10, 2012 Posted by | Canada, employment, safety | Leave a comment

Further tests to investigate possible radioactive polonium murder of Yassa Arafat

Swiss experts asked to test Arafat’s remains for radiation poisoning, Scotsman.com  10 July 2012  Swiss radiation physicists who recently investigated the death in 2004 of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat are being invited to a West Bank mausoleum to take samples from his actual remains for further tests.

The invitation to specialists from the Switzerland Institute of Radiation Physics came as the Palestinian Authority received permission for the autopsy from family members. Mr Arafat’s nephew, former UN ambassador Nasser al-Qidwa, who was initially cool to the idea, made it clear yesterday he would not object.

In an investigation commissioned by the Qatar-based al-Jazeera television and broadcast last week, researchers from the Swiss institute found elevated levels of the radioactive substance polonium on belongings used by Mr Arafat during his final days in a French military hospital that they had been given by his widow, Suha.

The researchers said the high levels may have been the result of poisoning, but stressed they would need to exhume the remains to confirm this. Senior Palestinian officials said Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas was determined that the tests take place….

..  because polonium decays rapidly, experts are divided over whether testing the remains
can bring such closure and will produce a clue eight years after the event. Polonium was used to kill Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London six years ago.

Talal Awkal, a columnist for the al-Ayyam newspaper, predicted that Israel would try to prevent the Swiss team from carrying out its mission. But Yigal Palmor, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman, said: “Israel is not going to influence in any way any measure the
authority wants to take to investigate Mr Arafat’s death.”
http://www.scotsman.com/news/international/swiss-experts-asked-to-test-arafat-s-remains-for-radiation-poisoning-1-2401668

July 10, 2012 Posted by | MIDDLE EAST, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

SAFECAST monitors nuclear radiation in Japan

News Summary: American praised for radiation data
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/news-summary-american-praised-for-radiation-data-20120710-21s6x.html July 10, 2012 –  The Associated Press NUCLEAR WINDS: Japanese seeking information on radiation levels in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster are turning to a volunteer group founded in the U.S. that has created a detailed and constantly updated visual database online. Sean Bonner, one of the founders of the group called Safecast, http://blog.safecast.org/about/ said nothing could have been more natural than to jump in and fill the need.

FEARFUL AFTERMATH: Many Japanese were terrified about the health effects of radiation in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, and had no idea whether their homes, schools and offices were safe. They were also frustrated by the lack of government or other official data on
radiation. Geiger counters were selling out.

FILLING THE NICHE: Within weeks, Bonner and his team created a handmade Geiger counter connected with a GPS feature that he calls “bGeigie,” a reference to Japanese-style “bento” lunchboxes. It is attached to cars and takes a reading every five seconds, resulting in
a massive store of data. There are 30 to 35 such mobile devices traversing Japan and 320 fixed devices. Safecast made the technology and the data open, sharing the design and findings, and has now collected more than 3 million measurements across Japan. Other
volunteers have developed online maps with the data.

July 10, 2012 Posted by | Japan, technology | Leave a comment

Production stops at AREVA’s Niger uranium mine, as workers strike

Niger Areva uranium workers begin 72-hour strike, NIAMEY,  Jul 9,  (Reuters) – About 1,200 workers at Niger’s Akouta uranium mine owned by COMINAK, a subsidiary of France’s Areva, have began a 72-hour strike to demand higher wages, a union official said on Monday. Inoua Neino, secretary general of the SYNTRAMIN union, said production had stopped at the over 1,600 tonnes a year mine in the north of the west African nation after the workers downed tools.

“We embarked on a strike after our demand for a 3 percent raise in salaries, even though insignificant, was not met with satisfaction by management,” Neino told journalists.

“Workers did not go down into the mine today and if they are not down there, it means that there was no extraction, and if there was no extraction, there is no production,” he said.

The company was not immediately available for comment….. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/09/niger-areva-strike-idUSL6E8I9CEF20120709

July 10, 2012 Posted by | employment, Niger, Uranium | Leave a comment

BHP Billiton likely to shelve grandiose Olympic Dam copper/uranium mine plan?

BHP (NYSE:BHP) Reports It Will Make Tighter Worldwide Copper Supply- USA Election News, 9 July 12  By: Jessica Honsinger   BHP Billiton Limited (NYSE:BHP) reported on Friday that it will make tighter worldwide copper supply from late 2013 onward if it delays work on its single-biggest project, the $30 billion growth of the Olympic Dam mine in Australia.
A 25% decrease in benchmark international copper prices since early on 2011 has eroded possible returns from the project, and the economic delay in top base metal consumer China has dampened the demand viewpoint. BHP’s system to quadruple output from Olympic Dam the fourth-biggest known copper deposit and biggest uranium source in the world is one a growing number experts consider probable to be shelved until markets stabilize….. http://uselectionnews.org/bhp-nysebhp-reports-it-will-make-tighter-worldwide-copper-supply-bhp-pcx-vale-anr-aci/

July 10, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, business and costs | Leave a comment

Taiwan petition for a referendum on nuclear power is close to its goal

A petition booth will be set up at Fulong train station and a speech by the Yenliao Anti-Nuclear Self-Help Association will be held at 2:30pm on Thursday.

Anti-nuclear-group plans rock fest signature drive, Taipei Times, 10 July 12, POWER GAMES:Calling for a stop to the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, activists have questioned Taiwan Power’s qualifications in building the new facility By Lee I-chia  Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU) yesterday said it would hold a signature drive at the five-day Ho-Hai-Yan
Gongliao Rock Festival in New Taipei City (新北市) starting tomorrow in an effort to stop the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant near the rock festival’s venue.

TEPU chairman Lin Wen-yinn (林文印) said the annual rock festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to Fulong Beach (福隆海灘) in Gongliao District (貢寮) to enjoy music in beautiful surroundings, but the ongoing construction of a nuclear power plant near to the beach is destroying the environment.
“We hope that visitors who join the rock festival in pursuit of beautiful music and self-expression will also put their passion into the pursuit of a safe and beautiful environment,” he said.
Kao Cheng-yan (高成炎), a professor at National Taiwan University and a former TEPU chairman, said the group had initiated a petition for a local referendum in New Taipei City, asking residents whether fuel rods should be installed to start test operations at the plant. Continue reading →

July 10, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment