Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

BHP Billiton tight-lipped about virtual shut-down of Olympic Dam

BHPB-Olympic-SmAccident slashes Olympic Dam output  – THE AUSTRALIAN Matt Chambers | October 08, 2009

BHP Billiton’s giant Olympic Dam underground mine in South Australia could be running at less than half capacity for months after a mechanical failure sent a full load of ore plummeting to the bottom of its 800m-deep main shaft. Continue reading

October 8, 2009 Posted by | business, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AREVA spins nuclear to kids

AREVA-spinSmAREVA-Medusa1AREVA never misses an opportunity to get the uranium/nuclear soft sell out to kids.

And, apparently the South Australia Museum and the S.A. govt are right behind them. Continue reading

October 8, 2009 Posted by | South Australia, spinbuster, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Family car – solar-powered, fast and low-energy

Solar car ‘uses less power than a toaster’ Brisbane Times KELLY LANE

October 8, 2009

It’s lean, green and can run on less energy than it takes to power the family toaster. Continue reading

October 8, 2009 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, Queensland | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Renewable energy trading starts 24 Nov on ASX

ASX announces start for renewable energy trading ABC News Oct 7, 2009

The operator of Australia’s futures market, the Australian Securities Exchange, will begin trade in renewable energy certificates from November 24.

Renewable energy certificates, or RECs, are a form of currency that can be earned by installing solar panels, wind turbines and micro-hydro plants.

Each certificate represents one megawatt hour of electricity generated from renewable energy.

The trade in REC futures and options is designed to help ensure Australia meets its target for 20 per cent of electricity to come from green power by 2020. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/07/2707337.htm?section=business

October 8, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | , , , | Leave a comment

Australian uranium part of global toxic waste problem

Mining uranium fuels a massive toxic problem  Scott Ludlam  6th October 2009, The mining and export of Australian uranium only digs us deeper into the unsolvable conundrum of nuclear waste – while also supporting the growth of nuclear weapons, the Australian Greens say. Continue reading

October 7, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australian govt will not allow import of nuclear wastes

Rudd slams door on nuclear waste industry  THE AUSTRALIAN Christian Kerr  October 07, 2009 THE Rudd government has rejected calls from former Labor foreign minister Gareth Evans for Australia to take back the waste from the uranium it sells. Continue reading

October 7, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international, wastes | , , , , | Leave a comment

Rudd govt must reinstate Racial Discrimination Act

Dump racist intervention measures: QC WA Today  Tara Ravens October 7, 2009 – A leading human rights lawyer says the federal government must rework or scrap racist elements of the intervention program in remote indigenous communities and honour Australia’s obligations under international law. Continue reading

October 7, 2009 Posted by | 1, aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Review – Gareth Evans – weak sop, and so on

a-cat-CANWell, well, Gareth Evans, ? champion of nuclear disarmament has now come out in favour of Australia taking in everybody else’s dirty washing – i.e. nuclear wastes. I always though he was a weak sop, anyway.

Australia’s Paladin uranium company hopes nobody is noticing that it mucks up Malawi’s drinking water, and that it attacks the Malawi Catholic Commission for Peace and Justice  – (bet it wouldn’t dare have a go at Australia’s)

BHP is lying low – hoping we’ll all forget about the predicted dust storms, as we have apparently forgotten about Maralinga.  Russia plans to join forces with Cameco, in Australia uranium mining.

The nuclear industry is quietly worrying about the falling uranium price, and dimming prospects for commercial nuclear power – hence the increased nuclear hype. Marshall islanders fear sea level rise, to add to their radiation-induced problems.

Some really interesting ideas coming on in how energy efficiency, and smart grids, combining with renewables have great potential for Australia’s energy future. That’s some of the week that has been………….

October 6, 2009 Posted by | Christina reviews, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Maralinga’s radioactive fallout 1963 and ? 2009

dust-storm09

Dr. Dick van Steenis It is very interesting to compare the above map of the recent dust storms with the map of the radioactive fallout from the British bomb tests at Maralinga. (see below)

It is also interesting to note that there is very little media coverage about the origins of the dust and the probability of radioactive particles from the Maralinga region where no real clean up was ever carried out.  The film maker David Bradbury has been on ABC.  His concerns were initially brushed off by a “scientist”, Professor Barry Noller, from Brisbane.  It has been shown that that guy is financed by the likes of BHP. David has since received support from Bill Williams, MBBS President Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia),  International Councillor, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

It seems that SA Minister Holloway, responsible for all decisions regarding the Olympic Dam expansion, has acknowledged that BHP has to reconsider dust control measures for the planned open pit mine.
marafallout

October 6, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, environment, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Maralinga radioactive fallout buried in shallow trenches

Dr. Dick van Steenis MBBS Wales UK Tel -44 1686 670688 I refer to the dust storm from central Australia that covered much of NSW & Queensland

There will have been large deposits
of radioactive plutonium, caesium, iodine&  strontium on the sand and in
shallow trenches from the pathetic handling some 9 years ago of fallout from
the Maralinga tests in northern South Australia/ NT.

Also the areas around
Alice Springs had 50000 times rise in radioactivity fron fallout from the
Montebello tests. These all have long half lives. I guess much of that nasty
dangerous stuff ended up in your dust cloud in the past few days. Has
anyone tested the dust for radioactivity? I contributed to a story in the
Australian BULLETIN of 1 September 2004 and was in medical school in
Adelaide during the Maralinga tests.

October 6, 2009 Posted by | South Australia | , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Radioactive problems remain in Hunters Hill

Radioactive homes need rules Science Alert  05 October 2009

There are serious gaps in how Australia deals with the problem of radiation contamination of suburban homes, a leading lawyer told the CleanUp 09 conference in Adelaide on 30 September. Continue reading

October 6, 2009 Posted by | environment, New South Wales, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium policy a hypocrisy

Uranium policy a hypocrisy The Age DAVID NOONAN October 5, 2009
…………Unfortunately, Australia can never credibly lead on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament while spreading nuclear risks as one of the world’s largest uranium suppliers. Continue reading

October 5, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international, uranium | , , , , | 1 Comment

BHP keeps mum on early uranium shipment to China

BHP ships first uranium from SA

The Age BARRY FITZGERALD

October 1, 2009

“……………..BHP would not give details on the shipment, which was made possible by the 2006 agreement between the former Howard government and Beijing on a nuclear safeguards pact. Continue reading

October 5, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium industry keeps up is myth about price rising

a-cat-CANFortune-telling thrives in the uranium/nuclear industry.

Faced with the facts of a glut of uranium, a failing commercial nuclear industry – what do they do?  Well – just predict a boom – just  alittle bit further on…..

Toro looks beyond uranium slump  THE AUSTRALIAN Stephen Bell  October 05, 2009  Article from: Dow Jones Newswires TORO Energy remains confident its $162 million Wiluna uranium project in Western Australia is economically viable, despite a sustained downturn in uranium prices…………..

Spot prices for the nuclear fuel fell last week to about $US42 ($48) a pound, down from a record high of $US136 in June 2007, prompting media speculation that many Australian uranium mining hopefuls would struggle.

October 5, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Paladin calls Catholic Commission a paid ‘puppet’ of Western corporations

men-angry1Australian uranium firm condemns Malawi NGOs

Trading Room BLANTYRE, Oct 2 AFP

October 03 2009,

Australia firm Paladin has dismissed allegations of contamination from a northern Malawi uranium mine, telling MPs that two rights groups have been paid funds to discredit its operations. Continue reading

October 3, 2009 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , | 1 Comment