Antinuclear

Ranger resignation should trigger underground uranium mine plan review

1 August 13, Environmentalists have called on Kakadu uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia and parent company Rio Tinto to re-think plans for underground mining at the troubled Ranger site following the resignation yesterday of ERA’s CEO.
The resignation news was accompanied by confirmation that ERA had again booked a half year loss, this time of over $50 million.

“The window is closing on the Kakadu uranium mining sector and before making any final investment decision ERA/Rio should review and reject any planned expansion at Ranger,” said the Environment Centre NT’s Lauren Mellor.

The ageing Ranger mine has posted financial losses for the last few years and remains badly hit by the continuing market fallout from Fukushima.  It continues to be contested and plagued by water and waste management issues.

Open cut mining finished at Ranger in late 2012 and the mine is now relying on processing stockpiled ore.

ERA have submitted plans to mine a 34,000 tonne underground deposit (Ranger 3 Deeps) – this mining technique has not been used in Kakadu and is currently the subject of a full federal EIS. “Later this year the public will have the opportunity to say enough is enough – that Kakadu is no place for uranium mining – but ERA could save us all the trouble and make this call now,” said Ms Mellor.

“The resignation of CEO Rob Atkinson, the historic low uranium commodity price, the finite mine and lease life at Ranger and the high level of community interest and concern mean the Ranger 3 Deeps project should be shelved, for good.”

August 2, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News