Olympic Dam uranium mine outage: jobs at risk?
Long outage expected for Olympic Dam THE AUSTRALIAN Matt Chambers | October 22, 2009 BHP Billiton has confirmed that damage to its Olympic Dam underground copper and uranium mine, caused by a plummeting fully loaded ore skip, will keep the operation at one-quarter capacity for up to six months. …… Continue reading
Australian government not supporting solar energy future
Tax breaks needed to keep us in the solar race, say experts Science Alert 22 October 2009 Towards a Sustainable Future By Mary-Lou Considine When Australia’s largest solar power project was put in the hands of an administrator in September – weeks after the Australian Government’s new 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme was approved by parliament – it reinvigorated widespread public debate about the nation’s renewable energy future………. Continue reading
Radiation chemical spill at Lucas Heights nuclear reactor
Staff not evacuated after spill at Lucas Heights THE AUSTRALIAN October 21, 2009 Australian Associated Press OPERATORS at Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor were not evacuated after a radiation chemical spill, a Senate committee has heard. An internal audit conducted by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation found safety procedures were breached in August 2008 after a vial of molybdenum 99 – used in the production of nuclear medicine – was dislodged.
Asked by Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam if the molybdenum was left unreported for three hours, ANSTO chief executive Adi Paterson said the organisation’s report had referred to this incident………..
A spokesman for Senator Ludlam said that if safety procedures could not be followed at Australia’s nuclear reactor, “God help” Australia if ANSTO was put in charge of a full scale nuclear power facility.
Staff not evacuated after spill at Lucas Heights | The Australian
Uranium water contamination in Kakadu National Park
Probe into uranium mine leak continues ABC News Oct 20, 2009 The Commonwealth supervising scientist of the Ranger uranium mine at Kakadu National Park says investigations are continuing into water contamination at the site. Continue reading
BHP’s uranium mine to miss deliveries
BHP Declares Force Majeure on Olympic Dam Contracts By Brett Foley Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) –– BHP Billiton Ltd. declared force majeure on some supply contracts after the closure of a shaft at Australia’s Olympic Dam, the world’s largest uranium deposit and the fourth-biggest copper lode.
The Australian company has told affected customers of the disruption to shipments, London-based spokeswoman Bronwyn Wilkinson said today in an e-mailed statement.
Force majeure is a legal clause allowing a company to miss deliveries because of circumstances beyond its control.
BHP, the world’s largest mining company, is still investigating damage caused by a mechanical failure to the hoist system at the mine’s Clark shaft two weeks ago.
BHP Declares Force Majeure on Olympic Dam Contracts (Update1) – Bloomberg.com
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