Increasing carbon emissions from uranium mining
Jan Willem Storm van Leeuwen 27th June 2021, The energy source of nuclear power is a mineral from the earth’s crust: uranium. An intricate system of industrial processes is required to convert the potential energy in this mineral into useful energy, and to manage the inevitable radioactive material wastes. During operation each nuclear power plant generates each year an amount of human-made radioactivty equivalent to about 1200 exploded Hiroshima atomic bombs. Without the process chain nuclear power would be impossible, and without nuclear power these processes would not exist.
The CO2 emission of these processes together form the specific CO2 emission inextricably coupled to nuclear power. The thermodynamic quality of the available uranium resources declines with time, because the highest quality resources are always mined first, for these offer the highest return on investments for the mining companies.
Declining thermodynamic quality of the resources results in an exponential rise of the specific energy and the coupled CO2 emission required to extract 1 kg of uranium from rock. At a given point the required extraction energy will equal the amount of useful energy that can be produced from 1 kg of uranium. Within the lifetime of new nuclear build uranium resources cannot be considered energy resources anymore, if the world uranium consumption remains at the present level. Meanwhile the coupled specific CO2 emission will grow as large as fossil-fuelled power.
What Is It Costing to Build Armageddon? by Bill Adamski and Jay Kvale — Rise Up Times
“Demonstrating dramatic downsizing by way of example, both superpowers can jointly demand that the seven other nuclear states follow.”
What Is It Costing to Build Armageddon? by Bill Adamski and Jay Kvale — Rise Up Times
Scott Morrison’s climate and Covid19 policy: It’s not a race — RenewEconomy
Scott Morrison’s defining failure as prime minister is his inability to treat any crisis as urgent. That has caused failure for climate and Covid. The post Scott Morrison’s climate and Covid19 policy: It’s not a race appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Scott Morrison’s climate and Covid19 policy: It’s not a race — RenewEconomy
Why Alan Finkel is wrong about climate action — RenewEconomy
Resistance is not futile, as Alan Finkel might have us believe. There are so many reasons why climate action can and must go much faster. The post Why Alan Finkel is wrong about climate action appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Why Alan Finkel is wrong about climate action — RenewEconomy
Key Witness in US Case Against Assange Changes His Story, by Joe Lauria — Rise Up Times
“This is the end of the case against Julian Assange.” -Edward Snowden
Key Witness in US Case Against Assange Changes His Story, by Joe Lauria — Rise Up Times
‘Julian Assange indictment is attack on press freedom,’ his father and brother tell St. Paul forum — Rise Up Times
“Reporting truth is not a crime..”
‘Julian Assange indictment is attack on press freedom,’ his father and brother tell St. Paul forum — Rise Up Times
Adani strikes Carmichael coal, but does the world even want it? — RenewEconomy
Adani’s Carmichael project struck coal this week, 10 years behind schedule. It must now try to flog one of the dirtiest of fossil fuels to a world that has moved on. The post Adani strikes Carmichael coal, but does the world even want it? appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Adani strikes Carmichael coal, but does the world even want it? — RenewEconomy
Net-zero deal or no deal? The answer is blowin’ in the wind with Barnaby — RenewEconomy
Morrison’s problems on climate policy, hard enough before this week, have just increased substantially. As has the internal dilemma the Nationals face on the issue. The post Net-zero deal or no deal? The answer is blowin’ in the wind with Barnaby appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Net-zero deal or no deal? The answer is blowin’ in the wind with Barnaby — RenewEconomy
Coal-powered bitcoin is an environmental disaster — RenewEconomy
The latest episode in the process of trying to present Bitcoin as if it’s not only clean but vital to clean power development is particularly bad. The post Coal-powered bitcoin is an environmental disaster appeared first on RenewEconomy.
Coal-powered bitcoin is an environmental disaster — RenewEconomy
Bitcoin crackdown — daryanenergyblog
Reblogged from my other site. Discussing the crackdown against crypto currencies by several governments.
Bitcoin crackdown — daryanenergyblog
June 27 Energy News — geoharvey
Opinion: ¶ “If All Goes According To (Renewable Energy) Plan, Texas Will Be Fine” • Extreme weather has been punching holes in Texas’ legendary ERCOT power, leading some to predict years of doom ahead. But Texas also has some renewable energy options up its sleeve, and new pathways for improved resiliency and stability are popping […]
June 27 Energy News — geoharvey
Construction of ANSTO’s new intermediate waste facility at Lucas Heights.
22 Jun 21, This morning the Government moved to progress the parliamentary process in order being works on ANSTO’s new intermediate waste facility at Lucas Heights
Once uploaded there will also be more detail at the public works committee and they’ll also begin accepting submissions shortly.
It is rare for the PWC to reject any works proposals but this process will provide an opportunity to highlight that extended ILW storage at ANSTO is possible and credible.
Also note they say that any national waste facility would not be accepting ILW waste pre 2030…..
Within weeks, Minister Keith Pitt is expected to declare Napandee, (Kimba, South Australia) as nuclear waste dump
Nuclear waste dump site in SA to be declared within weeks after bill passes federal parliament. Adelaide Now, 22 June 21,
A nuclear waste dump site in SA will be declared within weeks – with Kimba’s mayor welcoming the breakthrough.
A nuclear waste dump site in South Australia will be formally declared within weeks, after legislation passed parliament on Tuesday.
Federal resources minister Keith Pitt confirmed he would name a location for the radioactive waste storage facility soon after the “significant step forward” in parliament.
A revised bill with a shortlist of three sites passed the Senate late on Monday night with Federal Labor’s support, and was approved by the House of Representatives just after midday on Tuesday.
Kimba mayor Dean Johnson welcomed the bill’s passage as “great news”.
Napandee farm near Kimba is widely expected to be declared the location, after being named the preferred site in February 2020.
But it could quickly face a new legal challenge from the local Indigenous community……
Federal resources minister Keith Pitt confirmed he would name a location for the radioactive waste storage facility soon after the “significant step forward” in parliament.
A revised bill with a shortlist of three sites passed the Senate late on Monday night with Federal Labor’s support, and was approved by the House of Representatives just after midday on Tuesday.
Kimba mayor Dean Johnson welcomed the bill’s passage as “great news”.
Napandee farm near Kimba is widely expected to be declared the location, after being named the preferred site in February 2020.
But it could quickly face a new legal challenge from the local Indigenous community………
The opposition had refused to back the original Bill over concerns that naming the site in legislation, rather than by a ministerial decision, would prevent the possibility of a future legal challenge.
Australia is spending $billions to fight tiny killer coronaviruses. Australia should be equally worried about tiny killer nuclear particles- theme for July 2021
Australia ought to have extensive knowledge on the effects of ionising radiation. Britain exploded 12 major nuclear bombs and 29 smaller ones in Australia and some neighbouring islands, in the 1950s. The resulting clouds of radiation would have affected especially indigenous people, Aborigines, Islanders, and also soldiers, and the white population.
Was any epidemiological research done on these populations? No, there was not.
Australia has had 13 uranium mines, 3 still in operation. It’s not as if the old ones have been thoroughly cleaned up. Ionising radiation from these mines would have affected miners, the mining community, and Aboriginal communities, and may still be affecting them.
Was any epidemiological research done on the health of these populations? No, there was not.
This is why the nuclear lobby can say, confidently – there is no evidence of harm to health in Australia, from low level ionising radiation.
Plenty of other evidence of individual cases – but these can be brushed off as “anecdotal”.
As the the Australian government plans a radioactive waste dump on agricultural land, and the global nuclear industry successfully lobbies some Australian politicians, it is time to genuinely examine the research that has been done, in other countries. We pay attention to epidemiology about tiny viruses, why not to epidemiology about tiny radioactive particles?
Join the gathering – Stop the Nuclear Dump – Adelaide Friday July 2
Join the gathering – Stop the nuclear dump! Don’t dump on SA! Please join us on Friday July 2 to voice opposition to the Morrison government’s plan to impose a national nuclear waste dump near Kimba in SA.
The nuclear dump is unwanted, unnecessary and unsafe. It is unanimously opposed by Barngarla Traditional Owners and many other South Australians.
When: Friday July 2, 1 pm for 1.30 start to 3pm
Where: Steps of Parliament House on North Terrace
Some things you can do to help stop the imposition of the proposed nuclear dump:
* Donate to the Barngarla crowdfunder to fund a legal challenge (judicial review).* Sign the Barngarla petition* Sign the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) petition* Join the Adelaide-based ‘Don’t Dump on SA’ group, we meet on zoom every Tuesday (or sometimes every second Tuesday). Contact: jim.green@foe.org.au, 0417 318368
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
.
Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 