BHP dumped Olympic Dam uranium expansion because the nuclear industry is in crisis
Lies, damned lies and Olympic Dam sized lies, http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/lies-damned-lies-and-olympic-dam-sized-lies/ Independent Australia 23 August, 2012 Managing editor David Donovan reports on Tony Abbott’s “dishonest, self-interested fear campaign” about BHP’s decision to defer the Olympic Dam expansion; before environment editor Sandi Keane provides some disturbing background to this controversial project. In what has been described as
“…one of the most dishonest, self-interested fear campaigns … [ever] seen in Australian politics,”
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott blamed the mothballing of the Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion on the mining and carbon taxes, before throwing in “industrial militancy” for ideological good measure.
In an excruciating interview on ABC 7.30, in which Abbott attempted to stick to his predetermined script, Leigh Sales’ unexpectedly direct questioning drew him unstuck.
In a telling moment, Abbott admitted to not having read the reasons for BHP making their decision, but dismissed that fact as irrelevant, emphasising the impact of the carbon and mining taxes — despite the mining tax only being levied on coal and iron ore mines.
To paraphrase The Opposition Leader’s icon:
“We will decide the reasons businesses make their internal commercial decisions and the manner in which they make them.”
For the record, the reasons offered by the Opposition Leader are in stark contrast to those given by BHP boss Marius Kloppers for the decision.
So, in other words, no, no and no, Mr Abbott.
The elephant in the room was, obviously, the fact that the nuclear industry is in crisis mode in the wake of the radioactive catastrophe at Fukushima last year, causing Japan to have no operating nuclear plants at present and Germany to make the decision to shut down all its nuclear plants by 2020. In light of that, it is perfectly reasonable for BHP to put this project in abeyance until it can be sure there will be a market for uranium — after they spend $30 billion to dig the biggest pit in human history.
One thing BHP, regrettably, is unlikely to have considered is the fact that the Olympic Dam mine expansion was always a rather dicey proposition — facing immense and concerted opposition from Indigenous and environmental groups.
This is because, firstly, there is significant evidence that the native title process entered into with Indigenous groups was flawed, perhaps even fraudulent (something IA is currently investigating).
In addition, as IA reported last year, Olympic Dam is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen, due to inadequate safeguards for the immense amount of exposed radioactive tailings that will be left lying around after BHP removes an unprecedented amount of overburden to get to the ore.
The following is the Independent Australia report by environment editor Sandi Keane, originally published on 18 October 2011, in which she discusses the disturbing health and environmental implications of the Olympic Dam expansion.
Uranium mine expansion: unleashing radioactive dust storms across Australia… http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/lies-damned-lies-and-olympic-dam-sized-lies/
Australian uranium miner Paladin delivers an even bigger loss than last year’s
Uranium group Paladin’s loss widens, Business Report August 30 2012 Australian-listed Paladin Energy‚ a uranium producer with projects in Australia and two operating mines in Africa‚ delivered a net loss for the year to June 30 of US$172.8m‚ an increase of 110% from the previous year’s US$82.3m loss. This translates into a loss per share of US21.1 cents form a loss of US11.1 cents the previous year. No dividend was declared.
The nuclear industry lies when it tells you that ionising radiation is like a banana
The potassium cycle in humans is no excuse for nuclear authorities anywhere on the planet to claim any benefit or natural precedent for the marketing of nuclear industry emissions contaminated food.
[the nuclear industry] claims the residue of its pollution is like a banana.
If the nuclear industry tempts you with the idea that radio cesium is nutrient, dont believe them. They are asking you to take on an internal radio cesium dose in addition to your natural radio potassium dose, to take on an addition radio strontium dose where one does not exist in nature (no form of radio strontium exists in nature, there are about 6 radio strontium fission isotopes), strontium is not a nutrient and baby mice fed stable strontium instead of calcium die (Pecher `1941),
Nukers promoting contaminated food – the falsehoods of the Potassium excuse, Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 31 Aug 12, I have blogged about this before. Attempts at selling contaminated food in the market of people’s lives by nuclear advocates has to stop in Japan and everywhere.
It will take me the weekend to finish this post as I gather the historic and current sources which show the Potassium equivalent dose (which the industry calls the banana equivalent dose) is a false, incorrect, wrong and a deceptive fallacy.
In the interim, this wiki article explains the fallacy in brief: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_equivalent_dose Continue reading
In Arnhem Land, Aborigines show the way to save Australia’s threatened ecosystems
Aboriginal conservation in Arnhem Land http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/aboriginal-conservation-in-arnhem-land-ipa.htm THE INDIGENOUS PROTECTED AREA program has been remarkably successful at helping traditional owners contribute to Australia’s National Reserve System.
A network of 51 IPAs now covers an area similar in size to Japan (365,000sq.km) and makes up almost one-third of the NRS, which also includes national parks, state reserves and protected private land. Some individual IPAs, such as theSouthern Tanami in the NT, are larger than entire European countries.
An IPA is an area of land or sea that has been dedicated by its traditional owners to conservation and sustainable resource use in agreement with the Australian government. It’s different from other Aboriginal land, because traditional owners will manage it in line with World Conservation Union (IUCN) standards.
IPAs are also developed to maintain culture and bring traditional owners back to their land, as well as develop skills, provide employment and find income sources. Management remains with traditional owners, who are assisted by scientists and business managers to ensure conservation standards are met.
See David Hancock’s images of Djelk and Warddeken IPAs in the gallery attached to this story.
THE DJELK IPA includes coastal landscapes, estuaries, wetlands and tropical savannahs. Its 6732sq.km covers the land of 102 Aboriginal clans and 12 language groups marking it out as a place of remarkable cultural diversity. Read more about Djelk here.
Where: Northern Arnhem Land, NT
Established: 2009
Size: 6732sq.km
Threatened species: Arnhem Land rock-rat, black wallaroo, white-throated grasswren
THE WARDDEKEN IPA, bordering Kakadu National Park, covers an area just one-fifth the size of Tasmania and is rich in ancient art sites, rare plant and animal species, and pristine habitats. Read more about Warddeken here.
Where: Western Arnhem Land, NT
Established: 2009
Size: 13,704sq.km
Threatened species: bustard, northern quoll, black wallaroo, Arnhem Land rock-rat, Oenpelli python
Read the full story on IPAs across the nation in issue 110 (Sep/Oct) of the Australian Geographic journal.
Wave power could have a very big future in Australia
The fact that around 80 percent of Australia’s population live in coastal areas , suggests that wave power will play a very significant part in the country’s energy future.
In Australia, oceans could supply 10 percent power Smart Planet, By Lieu Thi Pham | August 8, 2012, MELBOURNE — A new study by the CSIRO (the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization), revealed that Australia’s oceans could supply 10 percent of the country’s electricity by 2050. This is the equivalent of powering a city the size of Melbourne, which has a population of around four million. Continue reading
Solar powered electric cars in California
Solar Energy and Cars: A Perfect Combination in California August 30th 2012 GetSolar It may seem odd to some to pair together driving and solar energy. After all, one is responsible for emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and the other is one of the cleanest energy sources for homeowners and businesses. However, it turns out that photovoltaicelectricity is already a big part of how some cars operate on the road.
The Sun Powers California Vehicles California solar installers should be happy to know that the market for electric vehicles in the Golden State is growing, as that means new business opportunities. According to a recent report from the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE), 39 percent of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners in the state have PV power set up at home. In addition, 31 percent indicated that they were considering installing panels over the next 12 months. Considering an estimated 33 percent of respondents only charge their PEVs at home, that means a significant portion of California’s electric vehicle fleet is powered by sunlight.
The state has the nation’s largest market for PEV cars, with about 1,000 new electric vehicles hitting California roads each month, according to the report.
Even those car owners who do not have a California solar installation at their home will have their PEV partially powered by solar energy. The state’s renewable portfolio standard dictates that all California utilities need to have 20 percent of its output come from renewable energy sources like solar power by 2013 and have 33 percent of distributed electricity come from renewables by 2020, according to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency.
“California is firmly established as a national and worldwide leader in supporting advanced technology, zero-emission automotive transportation,” Mike Ferry, the CCSE transportation program manager, said in a release………
http://www.getsolar.com/News/Solar-Energy-Facts/General/Solar-Energy-and-Cars:-A-Perfect-Combination-in-California-800852795
Continuing problem of radioactive forest areas in Fukushima Prefecture
Fukushima to expand forest areas for radiation decontamination, The Mainichi 30 Aug 12 The Ministry of the Environment accepted a request on Aug. 29 from Fukushima Prefecture to expand forest areas for radiation decontamination from the nuclear plant disaster, ministry officialssaid.
Currently, forest decontamination is limited to areas around 20 meters from where people live, and places where people gather, like camping sites or mushroom-raising facilities. Fukushima Prefecture, which is hit hard by the nuclear disaster and has 70 percent of its area covered by forests, requested an expansion of decontamination
areas…..
. Fukushima Prefecture Vice Gov. Masao Uchibori, who submitted a request to the Ministry of the Environment to push forward with forest decontamination, says, “Even if we decontaminate an area, after a week, two weeks, or a month, the radiation levels return. We think it is because of radioactive material coming from the mountains.”
The national government will study factors including radioactive material movement and buildup in forests, the leaking and spreading of radioactive material from forests to other areas, and the effects on radiation levels from tree-thinning. The Fukushima Prefectural Government, meanwhile, will this fall examine the decontamination effects of tree-thinning over a 10-hectare area. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120830p2a00m0na003000c.html
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 