Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Another annual loss for uranium explorer Toro Energy

the result included a $13.95 million non-cash impairment resulting from decisions to cease exploration activities over 16 tenements……..

Toro posts $16m loss, writes down $13m, Sydney Morning Herald, September 16, 2010 Uranium explorer Toro Energy Ltd has reported a full year net loss, but says it is making progress to start construction of its Wiluna mine in WA in 2012. Continue reading

September 23, 2010 Posted by | business, uranium, Western Australia | , , , | Leave a comment

al-Qaida kidnaps AREVA’s uranium workers in Niger

Six of the seven hostages worked at a huge uranium mine in northern Niger run by French state-owned nuclear power giant Areva. The seventh was married to an Areva employee…….

France’s Sarkozy calls Niger kidnappings worrying, By JENNY BARCHFIELD (AP) – 23 Sept 10, PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed on Wednesday to mobilize his government to free five French people abducted last week by an al-Qaida affiliate in Niger, Continue reading

September 23, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , | Leave a comment

Martin Ferguson represents uranium lobby, not Australian public

Mr Ferguson’s determination to override environmental processes had him putting investors ahead of the Australian public. “These processes catch not just risks to the environment but risks during transport, to public health, occupational health and safety, and heritage,” …

“The minister is quite brazenly telling the market these things will be shouldered aside.”

Uranium push at environment’s expense, Sydney Morning Herald,  September 22, 2010 Continue reading

September 23, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, people, politics, uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Marius Kloppers – Australia’s new Climate Change Minister?

described Kloppers as the climate change minister who wasn’t voted in by the public.

Kloppers under fire, The Age, September 22, 2010 AN ONLINE entrepreneur has accused the federal government of kowtowing to the boss of Australia’s biggest company. Continue reading

September 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, people, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium mining advocates oversee Australia’s tax policy

The high-ranking group, headed up by Resources Minister Martin Ferguson and former BHP chairman Don Argus, will consult with industry groups and hopes to have at least a couple of key issues resolved by the end of the year…..

Mining chiefs to advise minister on mineral resources tax | The Australian September 20, 2010 THE policy transition group overseeing the government’s mineral resources rent tax has met for the first time in Canberra today. Continue reading

September 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Martin Ferguson – Australia’s Minister For the Uranium Industry?

Labor to expand uranium mining: report Business Spectator, 22 Sep 2010 The federal government will support uranium mining but not nuclear power, Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson told The Australian Financial Review. Mr Ferguson said he aims to oversee a large expansion of the uranium industry…..The stance threatens to create divisions in parliament. Recently the Green Party said it would use its power to try to stop planned uranium mines, phase out three existing mines and halt exports……Labor to expand uranium mining: report | News | Business Spectator

September 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Huge Berlin anti nuclear protest attracts German youth

thousands of young people joined in as well, along with many middle-of-the road Germans who had never been at a protest before….the protest is a strong signal that a broad spectrum of Germans is opposed to extending nuclear lifetimes,

Most Germans Don’t Want Nuclear Power’ – SPIEGEL ONLINE , 20 Sept 10, Anti-nuclear campaigners demonstrating in Berlin on Saturday sent a powerful message of opposition to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s plan to extend the lifetimes of German reactors. Media commentators say she would be unwise to ignore it, because her own supporters don’t want nuclear power either. Continue reading

September 22, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , | Leave a comment

Be wary on Silex nuclear company’s solar credentials

I see Silex in the news, below, as a contender for building Victoria’s solar plant. I don’t know if they are connected to TRUenergy. Silex makes the controversial, rather dangerous laser technology for uranium enrichment.

Australian uranium enrichment group Silex Systems’ subsidiary, SilexSolar, spotted the bargain and managed to purchase the plant from BP Solar in 2009

RBS Morgans analyst Scott Power says solar accounts for less than 10 per cent of the firm’s Silex valuation. – Christina Macpherson 22 Sept 10

September 22, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, energy, politics, solar, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

USA, Eu – nuclear industry stalling due to wastes problem

On Wednesday last week, Greenpeace launched a broadside against the European repository plans, arguing that leaders were being misled over safety issues – particularly relating to groundwater contamination. It appears the repository battle is about to go nuclear here, too.

President Barack Obama’s Yucca Mountain decision is a blow to US nuclear power- Telegraph UK, By Garry White 20 Sep 2010, Continue reading

September 22, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coal and nuclear lobbies at odds now?

For decades the fossil fuel lobby has been using their very effective tactic of “sowing doubt” about global warming and climate change.  It has worked well for them – to “Divide and Conquer” public opinion.

Now – it could be their undoing.  Their plan was surely to keep coal going until a smooth transition to nuclear.

Well – it hasn’t worked.  While the fossil fuel lobby tries to discredit global warming,  their previous ally, the nuclear lobby,  now says that human-caused climate change is real!

“Divide and Conquer” now seems to be working against these  lobbies, as their own doubts rebound against them.

Meanwhile – reality is coming home to the nuclear/uranium lobby – as the nuclear industry stalls in USA, UK, Germany, France, India, ..  The more experience a country has had with nuclear technology, the more opposition arises to it.

September 21, 2010 Posted by | Christina reviews, climate change - global warming, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium interests, not the public’s, served by BHP’s Marius Kloppers

A tax would favour international nuclear electricity generators and boost pressure to overturn Australia’s ban on nuclear generators. Both effects would aid BHP’s uranium interests.


BHP Billiton chief Marius Kloppers knows how to look after his shareholders’ interests, Paul Kerin The Australian, September 20, 2010 BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers’ touting of a carbon tax serves his shareholders’ interests — not the public’s.  Continue reading

September 20, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

70,000 tons of high level nuclear waste already in USA

the country’s political leaders are no closer to a safe, permanent disposal plan for nuclear waste than they were a generation ago,

Nuclear waste piles up with no disposal plan, APP.com | Asbury Park Press, By RAJU CHEBIUM • WASHINGTON BUREAU • September 15, 2010 — Tens of thousands of tons of potentially lethal radioactive waste have been piling up across the nation for more than a generation, but the federal government has yet to decide how to get rid of it permanently. Continue reading

September 20, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Health effects of uranium mining in India

Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD), an affiliate of the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize recipient International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, conducted a health survey in 2007 that looked at 2,118 families within 2.5 km of the mines.It found that 9.5 percent of newborns die each year due to extreme physical deformities…….

Uranium mines afecting health of workers and local communities, India Info Online, 20 Sept 10, AT BANDUHURANG, there are no prohibitory signs, no warnings about radiation, no barbed wire and no demarcation of territory. Continue reading

September 20, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

USA looks like giving up on selling nukes to India

the chances of altering how the legislation works appear to be dimming….it looks increasingly likely that the Obama visit will center instead around job-creating deals for the U.S………..Nowhere did the statement contain a reference to the nuclear deal.

U.S. Chances Dim on India Nuclear Revision – India Real Time – WSJ, by Paul Beckett, September 20, 2010, As we reported recently, the U.S. government and nuclear-equipment industry have been scrambling to alter the impact of nuclear-liability legislation passed by the Indian parliament that the U.S. side views as unfavorable to U.S. nuclear suppliers … Continue reading

September 20, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Hillary Clinton to Australia – to discuss “clean” ?nuclear energy

Clinton Sets Australia Visit, Thinking Australia, 20 Sept 10,  US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is to visit Australia in November for re-scheduled ministerial talks……There are many matters that are of mutual interest, from developing new technologies for clean energy to addressing climate change, halting nuclear proliferation, countering the threat of terrorism, and so much else”.Clinton Sets Australia Visit

September 20, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, politics international, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment