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Federal Australian govt takes control of NT uranium sales

Thursday August 4, 2005, 4:41 pm

SYDNEY (AFP) - The Australian government has declared the Northern Territory "open for business on uranium mining" after taking control of the future of the region's rich deposits.

The announcement by Resources Minister Ian MacFarlane came after a tussle between the federal government in Canberra and the Northern Territory's Labor government, which had pledged to ban new uranium mines.

The Northern Territory's stance threatened to undermine federal government hopes of expanding Australian uranium exports to fuel the growing nuclear power industry around the world, notably in China and India.


"This morning in our meeting with the NT resources minister it was made clear by the territory government that they were abdicating their part of decision-making on uranium mining," MacFarlane told reporters in the northern capital, Darwin.

The federal government would now "assume responsibility for the approval of uranium mines," he said.

MacFarlane said the government was taking control "for the good of the territory" and resources industry.

"We can't allow this confusion to continue. This no-uranium policy is a nonsensical policy.

"The Northern Territory is open for business on uranium mining."

A spokesman for MacFarlane told AFP: "There was no seizing of control as such. The Northern Territory government handed it to us, which is quite a surprise."

Asked why, she replied: "They said they did not want to be involved in the process of approving or otherwise of uranium mining in the Northern Territories."

MacFarlane said about a dozen companies were currently exploring for uranium in the resource-rich territory, which is home to some 12 billion dollars (9.2 billion US) worth of known uranium deposits.

The territory's only operating mine is Rio Tinto's Energy Resources of Australia mine at Ranger, which is surrounded by the Kakadu National Park.

French nuclear power company Cogema is lobbying traditional owners in a bid to mine its multi-million dollar, 14,000-tonne Koongarra deposit in the World Heritage-listed park.

Macfarlane said he shared the local government's unease about the Koongarra deposit but would consider all applications.

He said no mining would be approved unless it had "the full support of the indigenous owners of the area where the mine is proposed."

Australia currently has just three working uranium mines -- BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam and Heathgate Resources' Beverley mine in South Australia and the Ranger mine.

Uranium prices have been rising steadily in recent years, to around 29 dollars per pound from nearly 10 dollars a pound four years ago, on the growing acceptance of nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuels such as coal and oil seen as contributing to global warming through greenhouse gas emissions.

A large number of countries, including China, India, the United States, Britain, South Korea and Russia are looking at major expansions of their nuclear power programs.

Australia, which has no nuclear power industry, announced earlier this year that it was negotiating the possible sale of uranium to China.

Comment:- Giralia's tennement right next door to Heathgate's Beverley mine already in operation, and on proven ground. Existing farm-in agreement with Heathgate in place. Refer recent (GIR) announcements and uranium update for full details and current progress. Also most of Giralia's uranium tennements already have full native title landowners agreements in place. Hence the hard work and costly time delays are all behind it! Will be big!
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