Another radioactive spill at an Australian owned uranium mine

Paladin Energy spills radioactive material at African mine, The Age, Peter Ker 17 Feb Another Australian uranium miner has been forced to clean up a spill of radioactive material.

ASX-listed Paladin Energy has reported a spill near one of its African mines, saying a truck carrying a container of uranium oxide from its Kayelekera mine in Malawi overturned while negotiating a curve in the road…….

The incident comes less than three months after ASX-listed Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) suffered a spill at its Ranger precinct in the Northern Territory. That spill is still under federal investigation and processing at the site has not resumed since.

ERA is majority owned by Rio Tinto, and the incident at Ranger occurred in the same week as a similar spill at a Rio Tinto mine in Nambia…..

The incident occurred just three days after Paladin announced it would cease mining at the loss-making Kayelekera until uranium prices improved significantly…..

Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Dave Sweeney said the Paladin incident highlighted the risks that were inherent in mining uranium.

“We have seen costs rising and corners being cut right across Africa,” he said.

“Paladin have announced they are closing Kayelekera and this is a toxic and tragic way to say goodbye.”http://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/paladin-energy-spills-radioactive-material-at-african-mine-20140217-32v7v.html#ixzz2td54yjQ1