Uranium enrichment plant for Australia? A really bad idea
In such a negative climate, it is not particularly accurate to suggest that the region is a ‘nuclear growth area’.
Reader riposte: N enrichment in Australia and beyond http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2014/01/20/Reader-riposte-N-enrichment-in-Australia-and-beyond.aspx 20 January 2014 Richard Broinowski writes:In his speculative piece on a regional uranium enrichment plant in Australia, John Carlson gets a few things wrong.
First, it is inaccurate to suggest that but for Labor’s opposition, Australia might now be well on the way to establishing a uranium enrichment facility. Whitlam’s Minister for Minerals and Energy, RFX Connor, very much wanted to establish such a plant. Only Whitlam’s untimely fall from grace following the Khemlani affair brought Connor’s plans to a halt.
Nor can opposition to such a scheme only be laid at the feet of Labor. McMahon scotched Gorton’s plans for a nuclear reactor at Jervis Bay in 1971-72. Mindful of deep and pervasive suspicion of nuclear technology in the Australian community, many Liberal politicians continue to be extremely coy about giving any support for an Australian nuclear industry.
Second, on what grounds does John assert that the Asia Pacific is a major growth area in nuclear power? Continue reading
Chinese nuclear firm saves Australian firm Paladin – for now, anyway
Top China nuclear firm rescues Paladin Namibia uranium mine Business Recorder, 20 January 2014 by Umer Qazi MELBOURNE: China National Nuclear Corp has agreed to buy a The sale rescues Paladin, as it urgently needed to raise funds following three years of pain as uranium prices slumped after the Fukushima disaster, which killed Japanese demand for the fuel and led other countries to halt nuclear expansions.
“Paladin’s out of the woods for the short to medium term. But longer term they need higher uranium prices to pay back their convertible note,” said Simon Tonkin, an analyst at Patersons Securities…….
The company had little bargaining power with uranium prices hovering at $36.05, or nearly half the price they were at before the Fukushima plant was crippled in March 2011…….
While Paladin has booked heavy losses, it is in better shape than rival Energy Resources of Australia Ltd, controlled by Rio Tinto , which had to suspend processing uranium ore after radioactive slurry leaked from a leach tank at its Ranger operation in Australia……http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/109-world-top-news/153926-top-china-nuclear-firm-rescues-paladin-namibia-uranium-mine.html
Radiation contaminated sailors ignored by Australian government
Compensation plea over nuclear test MIKE DUFFY, 7NEWS SYDNEY 21 Jan 14 A veterans’ support group says it is disgusted by the treatment of sailors left sick with cancer after taking part in nuclear tests in the 1950s.
The conscripts claim they’ve been abandoned despite other servicemen receiving healthcare assistance.Over 60 years ago, back in October 1952, an Australian atomic test gave Britain membership to the nuclear club.
‘What no officer wants to face’ The cloud that appeared over the islands of Monte Bello, off Western Australia’s north coast, was proof Britain had the bomb.
Operation Hurricane was a major operation for the Australian Navy, but not everyone involved knew what they were in for.
Michael Rowe was a teenager, a conscripted national serviceman on HMAS Murchison.“When we got there we didn’t know why we were there,” he said.
“Then one morning we were told to assemble on deck we were going to witness the first British atomic bomb explosion. So we did as we were told and assembled on deck in fully protective outfits of sandals and shorts. “Knowing what we know now, they wouldn’t have had us there exposed as we were.”
Since speaking to 7News, Michael has sadly passed away, claimed by a cancer he believed was caused by radiation.
He lobbied for the same healthcare assistance afforded to those veterans judged to be closer to the blast.
Veterans activist Sandy Godfrey said:” These are the forgotten veterans of Australia who have just been ignored by the government.”……..http://aunews.yahoo.com/nsw/a/20893335/veterans-plea/news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/20893335/veterans-plea/
John Howard rises up again, to tell furphies about climate change
In Australia, the figures are very clear. A majority of Australians accept that humans are causing global warming. John Howard is simply wrong with regard to Australia
Are most Australians really climate ‘agnostics’? Guardian, Alex White, 20 Jan 14, Former Prime Minister John Howard claimed Australians had “settled into a state of sustained agnosticism” on climate change. Is this true? Last year, former conservative Australian prime minister John Howard gave a speech at the climate-change denying Global Warming Policy Foundation in London.
In his speech, he derided climate change mitigation advocates as “alarmists” and “zealots” for whom “the cause has become a substitute religion”. He also said that politicians should not heed the advice of scientists when making policy, and repeated the denialist line that climate change was natural: “Of course the climate is changing. It always has,” he said. Continue reading
International marine science organization releases report on radiation in Pacific Ocean
The amount of atmospheric cesium being transported across the ocean via winds remains the unknown yet potentially greater factor. It partially explains the drastic difference in projections, as there are no monitoring stations for airborne radiation in the Pacific and no reliable methods of predicting the scale of its effects. Further, it has only recently been publicly admitted that 300-400 tons of contaminated water have been pouring into the Pacific per day since the meltdown began in March 2011.
International marine science organization releases report on radiation in Pacific Ocean Thomas Henry Natural News January 20, 2014 If you’ve heard about Fukushima radiation spreading to the Pacific Coast of North America but were “corrected” by sources both official and expert that this was based more on rumor than reality, then consider the information presented at the October 2013 North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) annual meeting.
Researchers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed that the radioactive plume from Fukushima is indeed reaching the shores of Canada and the United States – and was detected at least six months ago – carried both in the ocean surface water and the atmosphere on similar but slightly different courses.
In a presentation titled “Communicating the forecasts, uncertainty and consequences of ecosystem change,” (read here: http://www.pices.int) the Canadian researchers gave evidence that the bulk of radioactivity from Fukushima is shifting almost entirely from the western portion of the North Pacific (Japan) to the eastern portion (North America) over the course of the next five years. As of 2012, it had already reached the central region of the Pacific Ocean, and a previously unpublished map shows that, as of 2013, it had reached the shores of Alaska and British Columbia, with the most intense area of the plume yet to arrive. Continue reading
Exposing pro nuclear spin in South Africa
The “climate emissions” spin of nuclear power has been thoroughly discredited, as has the ongoing myth that wind and solar cannot generate stable, industrial base-load volumes of electricity. These technologies have matured, also generating many times the possible number of jobs compared with nuclear, while utilising our existing skill sets – something nuclear cannot do.
Radiation issue ignored in nuclear spin January 20 2014 The nuclear spin must be exposed. Muna Lakhani Earthlife Africa Cape Town Member of The South African United National Anti-nuclear Mobilisation Initiative http://www.iol.co.za/business/opinion/letters/radiation-issue-ignored-in-nuclear-spin-1.1633529#.Ut7pT9LTnMw It is a source of endless fascination, and not without a chuckle, reading the pontificating of people without any topical “technical” qualifications (other than that of spin doctor), who claim to understand the motivation of those who choose to fight plans for the massive nuclear expansion in our country. (With reference to “Might Russia still get the nuclear power station deal?” by Keith Bryer in Business Report, January 12
The critical issue of radiation is roundly ignored by the correspondent – the single most problematic part of the nuclear chain, for which no viable solution has been found after about 70 years.
Even a cursory glance at figures of radiation released from Fukushima gives the lie to the bald statement that Chernobyl was “the worst accident by far” – not only are the figures already far higher than Chernobyl, the potential release could go as high as 50 times that of Chernobyl (for the latest figures see tekknorg.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/ tepco-cooked-core-of-reactor-2-core-and-then-blew-it-out/) Continue reading
Too many articles downplaying Fukushima health effects, says nuclear engineer
Nuclear Engineer: It’s a little alerting to see this many articles downplaying Fukushima health effects — You have to think, why is this happening? — Are they going to walk away from reactors and say sorry, there’s nothing we can do? (VIDEO)Chris Harris, former licensed Senior Reactor Operator and engineer, Jan. 16, 2014 (at 21:30 in):
This is not the first time I’ve seen an article lately about downplaying the health effects that we’re seeing due to any kind of elevated radiation that is coming from Fukushima, or from other sources that I’m not aware of. The whole problem is — it’s not that this [by itself] is a problem — the problem is, I’m seeing more and more of these kind of articles coming out […]
I think there’s misleading on both sides. It’s a little alerting when you start seeing many articles coming out downplaying the health effects. You have to kind of think, ‘Why is this happening?’ I’m wondering, is it because someone is going to start saying that there’s really nothing that they can do?
Maybe Tepco is saying that, especially since Tepco last week decided to change the name of their company and start going into the buying and selling of electrical generation. […] Remember, a long time ago I said I wouldn’t be surprised if Tepco got up and walked away from the mess saying, ‘Sorry guys, there’s nothing we can do, see you later.’
Some recent examples include:
- New York Times: Fukushima Radiation (Still) Poses No California Risk
- L.A. Times: West Coast radiation from Fukushima disaster poses no risk, experts say
- San Francisco Chronicle: Coast getting little radiation from Fukushima disaster
- Fox San Diego: Experts say West Coast radiation from Fukushima disaster poses no risk
- NPR Affiliates: Scientists: Stop Worrying About Fukushima Radioactivity In Fish
- Times-Standard: Gov’t officials say radiation not a threat to West Coast
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
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