nsw u exploration green light, qld next

New South Wales opens uranium door
15 February, 2012 10:32AM
By David Murray

The NSW Government has defended moves to abolish a 28 year state-wide ban on uranium exploration.

Legislation giving mining companies the green light to start exploring for uranium within New South Wales borders is slated to be introduced into State Parliament as early as tomorrow.

Uranium mining will remain off-limits under the proposed changes however the NSW Government has indicated that that policy could also change in the near future.

NSW Minister for Energy and Resources, Chris Hartcher says that extracting any uranium deposits uncovered through exploration efforts would require separate legislation.

"If the data that is collected shows there is commercial amounts of uranium available then certainly we would consider mining it."

The announcement ends a 28 year ban on uranium exploration in NSW that has seen support from both Liberal and Labor state governments.

Mr Hartcher denies the state Liberal government is acting without a mandate from voters, despite the party failing to flag changes in uranium policy leading into the last state election.

He says the sudden change doesn't make the Liberal Party hypocritical in its treatment of The Prime Minster, Julia Gillard over the Federal Government's about-face in introducing a price on carbon.

"We haven't lied about this. It wasn't an issue at the state election."

"I reject totally that it responds anyway suggestion to what Julia Gillard did about the carbon tax."

The Industry Group, Australian Uranium Association has indicated that a number of companies will be eager to act quickly to seek out commercially viable deposits of the resource once the exploration ban is lifted.

CEO, Michael Angwin says any major finds will likely push the state government to give the all clear for mining.

"There's a lot of enthusiasm for this product and I'd expect this enthusiasm is not stopped by state boundaries."

"Mining generates jobs and it generates export income.... That's a powerful incentive."

He says, regardless of what exploration uncovers it's important that major policy changes aren't rushed.

"Let's find out what the resource is in NSW. Let's put in place the regulatory and other arrangements that are necessary and let's take it from there."

The Head of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New South Wales, Dr David Cohen says the extent of commercial uranium deposits buried in the state is largely unknown.

"There's probably some potential in the western part of the state but probably not to the same extent as they've had in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia."

The state government's announcement follows a decision at the ALP national conference to lift the ban on the exportation of uranium to India.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/02/15/3431244.htm?site=sydney