Much hype, but little really happening in Australia’s uranium industry
Notes on this weeks’s nuclear and climate news in Australia
Uranium. Things have gone rather quiet on this, though industry and government put up a bold front. RIO Tinto boasts about plans to sell uranium to India, and its subsidiary ERA downplays its poor record in 2014. ERA ‘s Ranger mine is closed, and even ERA is questioning the viability of the plan for a new underground mine – doing a “prefeasibility” study – not even a”feasibility” one. Much government hype about selling to India, but safety requirements are still not finalised .
Australia-India CEO forum set up, and Tony Abbott appoints Vanessa Guthrie, of uranium company Toro Energy, to head this. (they always give the difficult jobs to a woman)
BHP wants the Australian government to allow a bigger radioactive waste tailings dam at Olympic Dam. Australian uranium miner Paladin will have to comply with Canada’s new tax transparency laws.
Queensland election. Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan attacks the Renewable Energy Target. Greens the only Party in Queensland serious about Climate Change
Freedom of speech. Great timing since the Charlie Hebdo staff masscre – Tasmanian government wants new defamation law that will protect corporations from criticism.
Renewable energy. Australia dives towards the bottom in large scale renewable energy investment, thanks to RET uncertainty. Clean energy sector ‘uninvestable’.
Australia not as protected from UV radiation as we used to be.
From Frances Rowe, 15 Jan 15 The following may have been broadcast via media outlets, however if so, I missed it:
” A pulse of extreme UV radiation from the flare ionized Earth’s upper atmosphere over Australia and the Indian Ocean. Mariners and ham radio operators may have noticed a brief communications blackout at frequencies below about 10 MHz. This map from NOAA shows the affected region:..”http://www.weather.com
(see 13 January 2014)
The intensity of this radiation is referred to as extreme; what cosmic rays may be involved are not indicated. It may be that we are not as protected as we once were.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/02/magnetosphere-leak-earth-magnetic_n_2058880.html
Australia on USA nuclear bandwagon, to sell uranium to India, but technical problems remain
Technical issues holding up India, Australia civil nuclear cooperation: Minister By Ashok Dixit Big News Network (ANI) 12th January, 2015 Australia’s Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb said Monday that his country and India have resolved the political issues related to the activation of the civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the two countries, and now, both governments were working on resolving the technical issues.
Interacting with select media here on the sidelines of the four-day Australia Business Week in India (ABWI), Robb said he did not see the government-to-government discussions on civil nuclear cooperation dragging on interminably, but added that at this point in time, he could not put a date on when the agreement would actually be finalized
The minister also said that for the civil nuclear agreement to see the light of day in actual terms, Australia would have to be convinced that India would completely adhere to IAEA and Nuclear Suppliers Group norms for the peaceful and civilian use of uranium before agreeing to release uranium to New Delhi……….
He said there is strong support from foreign nations for India to have access to and give access to civil nuclear business, notably from the United States, Canada and Japan, and saw no reason why Australia could not also join this bandwagon……http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/229287965
ERA’s low uranium production over 2014, as it mulls viability of new underground pit
Energy Resources of Australia lifts quarterly uranium production http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/energy-resources-of-australia-lifts-quarterly-uranium-production/story-e6frg9df-1227182993463?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20TheAustralianBusinessMiningEnergy%20%28The%20Australian%20%7C%20Business%20%7C%20Mining%20and%20energy%29&utm_content=IceRocket%20Blog%20Search&nk=586f17321ea76df33e11a222095b3c3a DOW JONES JANUARY 13, 2015 ENERGY Resources of Australia said uranium oxide output rose in the final quarter of 2014, although annual production was still sharply lower after a radioactive leak disrupted activities at its Ranger operation in the Northern Territory earlier in the year.ERA (ERA), which is majority owned by Rio Tinto, said it produced 599 tonnes uranium oxide in the three months through to December, up 19 per cent. But it produced just 1,165 tonnes over the course of the year, down 61 per cent on 2013 levels.
Processing of uranium oxide was suspended in December 2013 following a leak of about one million litres of contaminated slurry, which was caused by toxic material eating through a steel tank. The processing plant only restarted in June.
The company had already stopped mining uranium at Ranger in late 2012 after its ore was depleted. But it continued to process stockpiled ore while it studied the viability of digging a new underground pit called Ranger 3 Deeps.
ERA said a prefeasibility study is being finalised and would be reviewed by the board in the first quarter of this year.
Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman ignore Queensland’s increasing weather extremes
Queensland election 2015: Greens label climate change the ‘overwhelming challenge of our time’ ABC News, 13 Jan 15 By Alison Middleton The Greens say tackling the challenge of climate change is as important as dealing with terrorism, as the party steps up its campaigning in the Queensland election.
Greens leader Christine Milne joined Queensland Greens spokesman and candidate for Moggill, Charles Worringham on the campaign trail today.
“Extremism and murder are horrific and have to be dealt with in every nation and internationally but so too does global warming, it is the overwhelming challenge of our time,” Ms Milne said.
“If you want to keep Australians safe the best thing that you can do this century is respond to the climate crisis.”
Ms Milne said the Prime Minister and Premier were both bad for the environment.
“We have Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman joined together to undermine the safety of Queenslanders because Queenslanders are going to be subject to more and more extreme weather events,” she said……….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-12/greens-highlight-climate-change-challenge-during-qld-election/6012980
The push for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors faces Big Obstacles
Lobbyists try to build a head of steam forSmall Reactors nuClear News, UK, Jan 2015
World War 3 on the brink if NATO expands into Ukraine – Gorbachev
NATO Expansion Into Ukraine Could Ignite Nuclear War, Gorbachev Says; World ‘Will Not Survive The Next Few Years’ http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/578826/20150113/nato-expansion-ukraine-nuclear-war-gorbachev.htm#.VLWFANKUcnk By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | January 13, 2015 10:55 AM EST
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, without necessarily taking sides with Russian President Vladimir Putin, told a German news magazine that NATO instigated the current Ukraine crisis because it had chosen to not adhere to the provisions of the Paris Charter of 1990, thus saying the dangling nuclear between the bloc and Russia is just a matter of time.
With both sides flaunting their respective nuclear arsenal, Gorbachev told German magazine Der Spiegel the world “will not survive the next few years” if either side lost its nerve in the current stand-off. “Moscow does not believe the West, and the West does not believe Moscow. The loss of confidence is catastrophic.”
Although critical of his successor, the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize winner nonetheless believed Mr Putin was just reacting based on NATO’s flamboyant aspirations to expand, fuelled by the United States’ “dangerous winning mentality.” He said US-led NATO’s eastward expansion has destroyed the very essence of the European security order which was written in the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. The bloc’s expansion, he claimed, was a 180-degree turn away from the Paris Charter of 1990. He said the latter was made together with all European states to finally leave the Cold War in the past.
“We won’t survive the coming years if someone loses their nerve in this overheated situation,” Gorbachev said. “This is not something I’m saying thoughtlessly. I am extremely concerned.”
He also sanctions against Russia lead to nowhere because it harms both Moscow and those who imposed them. “It reminds me of blood revenge. Sanctions are not the suitable instrument in case we want to save our model relations,” he said, referring to the level of cooperation Moscow and Berlin showed in the 1990s and 2000s.
Tensions between Western powers and Russia escalated after pro-Russian separatists overtook large parts of eastern Ukraine. Afterwards, Russia annexed Crimea in early 2014. NATO has been escalating its forces in Eastern Europe while accusing Russia of sending troops to Ukraine. The latter had repeatedly denied the allegations.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) launching new tool -‘REsource ‘
IRENA Unveils REsource — “Google” For Renewable Energy Information Clean Technica, January 13th, 2015 by Zachary Shahan The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)* is about to launch an awesome new tool called REsource. While we here at CleanTechnica do what we can to be the world’s leading source of cleantech information, we are always happy to see others to do a great job in this space. IRENA has long been one of the top places I go for renewable energy information, but its resources have gotten better and better in the past couple of years. REsource takes that to another level. ……
“The rapid growth of the renewable energy industry outpaces the information available to monitor and analyse the sector,” IRENA writes. “To date, renewable energy information has been scattered, and is perceived as less accessible, less detailed and less accurate than the information on conventional energy. This lack of information has created a falsely uncertain environment for investors and fuelled misperceptions in public opinion.”
Indeed, if you go looking for some renewable energy fact, there are dozens of organizations where you have to consider searching for it……..
REsource will be launched at IRENA’s 5th Assembly next week. We’ll publish an update at that time.
Also keep an eye on IRENA’s Twitter and Facebook pages. Also keep an eye on #REsourceIRENA — IRENA is going to be releasing a number of reports in the coming weeks and will tag them with #REsourceIRENA on Twitter and Facebook. http://cleantechnica.com/2015/01/13/irena-launches-resource-google-renewable-energy-information/
Women now moving into energy industry – renewable energy!
As the renewable industry is considered to be a relatively new source of energy and is still continuously undergoing development and investment, it opens up opportunities for females who would not normally be given a chance to work in the energy sector. Scotland are leading in the renewable sector in the UK, in 2012 almost 30% of electricity generated came from renewable sources compared to just 8% in England and Wales.
If the rest of the UK continue to develop similar to Scotland the number of careers for women within the sector will only increase. Continue reading
Stéphane Charbonnier, Fabrice Nicolino, anti nuclear cartoonists, victims of Charlie Hebdo attack
Slain cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo were allies of anti-nuclear movement http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2015/1/8/slain-cartoonists-at-charlie-hebdo-were-allies-of-anti-nucle.html We pause today to remember those slain at the French satirical news magazine Charlie Hebdo. Several of the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdowere close allies of the French anti-nuclear movement, even providing cartoons to the French anti-nuclear network, “Sortir du nucléaire.”
Stéphane Charbonnier, its editor in chief, drew many cartoons lampooning the nuclear industry. (One 
example is pictured at right. It reads: “What could one do without nuclear? Live.”) Charb, as he was known by his pen name, participated in opposition to both nuclear power and nuclear weapons. He was among the 12 killed.
Another Hebdostaffer, Fabrice Nicolino, who was wounded but we are told will survive, was the author of the brilliant special edition of Charlie Hebdo focusing on nuclear power and called The Nuclear Swindle (cover pictured left). In it, Nicolino, an author and environmental journalist, pointed out that nuclear power is a hold-up, with democracy as the spoils. The assassination of the 12 people atCharlie Hebdo, and the injuring of others, was also an assault on democracy. Tens of thousands rallied the same night in Paris and elsewhere, holding vigil for the victims and for freedom
Pope Francis takes a leadership role for global action on Climate Change
he has been invited by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, to address the general assembly of the UN on the issue.
The impact of this on Australian politics is hard to predict. A number of senior Coalition ministers are Catholic, yet their climate credentials are less than impressive. Tony Abbott’s claim that coal is “good for humanity” is the antithesis of the likely papal message. Now his opponents will be able to quote chapter and verse of a papal encyclical calling his policies into question.
Climate-change encyclical may lay ground for UN progress http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/climatechange-encyclical-may-lay-ground-for-un-progress-20150113-12n3u2.html January 14, 2015 Neil Ormerod This is the year the Catholic Church will join the battle to save the planet; as Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, stated, “2015 could be a decisive year in history”.
From the start of his pontificate Pope Francis indicated his intention to publish an encyclical on the environment. Encyclicals are the most authoritative documents a pope can issue, and it has become increasingly clear that global warming will be its central theme.
Previous popes – both John Paul II and Benedict XVI – referred to the environment and climate change in various communications, and committed the Vatican City to being carbon neutral, but this will be the first time a pope will have dedicated an entire encyclical to it. Continue reading
Outright failures continue to plague Fukushima plant
Engineer: Outright failures continue to plague Fukushima plant — “Public may think worst is over… Nothing could be further from the truth” — Japan TV: New method failing to stop flow of highly contaminated water — Experts: ‘Diluting’ radiation in ocean adds to danger; Spreading it out only makes health damages worse (VIDEO)http://enenews.com/outright-failures-continue-plague-fukushima-japan-tv-new-method-failing-stop-flow-highly-contaminated-water-public-thinks-worst-could-be-further-truth-video?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
Dr. Steve Elwart, professional engineer and expert for Dept. of Homeland Security, Dec 14, 2014 (emphasis added): With most of the media silent about the cleanup, the public may think the worst is over [at Fukushima Daiichi]… Nothing could be further from the truth… [Radioactive water is] leaking out into the ocean, allowing it to spread… around the world through ocean currents [and this has] prompted grave concerns over the impact on sea life in the area and around the world. [Officials] decided to build an “ice wall” around the reactor site… TEPCO conceded defeat and announced the efforts to construct the plug failed… As if things couldn’t get worse, less than two months ago, TEPCO once again came out with an announcement that it was having problems with the ice wall [and] was going to cease operations on the ice wall and pour cement… TEPCO President Naomi Hirose stated officials “will never give up” on the wall…debate continues over how to stop water from leaking into the ocean… outright failures continue to plague the Fukushima cleanup efforts.
NHK Transcript, Dec 26, 2014: TEPCO is still struggling to deal with contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
NHK, Dec 26, 2014: New method for contaminated water may be failing — [TEPCO] has indicated that a new method aimed at tackling a large volume of highly radioactive wastewater at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has not been entirely successful. TEPCO gave a progress report on its work to a panel of experts at the Nuclear Regulation Authority on Friday. The utility last month began pouring cement into underground tunnels filled with the contaminated water from the reactor buildings to stop the water inflow. The water is believed to be leaking into the sea… officials said that when they pumped water up from one of the pits, the water level at another pit changed. That suggests that gaps exist in the concrete-filled tunnels.
Documentary featuring radiation experts (at 6:30 in):
- Dr. Alice Stewart, physician and epidemiologist: All recommendations say one big hit is more dangerous than just a little one… It’s the basis of the control of nuclear waste — if you dilute it enough, it will be safe. Well, we say dilute it and it will add to the dangers.
- Jan van de Putte, radiation safety specialist: There’s a philosophy called the dilution philosophy, which means if you dilute something, then it doesn’t give any harm. But with all the knowledge we have today, we must say radiation is inducing health damage regardless of how little the doses of are. If you dilute radiation… all the health effects will only be more widely distributed. This is the only effect of this dilution philosophy.
- Dr. Richard Piccioni, biophysicist: Whether you have put it all in one place or have spread it out, the total irradiation of human beings… is the same. In fact if what someresearchers like Dr. Stewart are saying is true, it will be even worse.
- Watch the documentary here
Ban Ki Moon: we are the last generation that can fight climate change
Ours is the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. In this 70th anniversary year in which we renew our commitment to the goals and principles of the UN charter, the international community must rise to the moment. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/12/last-generation-tackle-climate-change-un-international-community
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 