Archive for June, 2012

« Older Entries

No plan for permanent waste disposal, but Lynas rare earths might go ahead anyway!

June 24, 2012

 why are we talking about a storage facility in Malaysia when it was made clear that one of the prerequisite to the Temporary Operating License or TOL is that the waste be shipped back to Western Australia?

The Australian government reiterated that it will not accept responsibility for any waste material produced by Lynas, although one of the five conditions attached to the recent approval of its temporary operating license is that it must take full responsibility for waste management from its plant including returning the waste to the source, if necessary.

But in a media briefing, AELB director-general, Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan, gave his assurance that the board would insist on a letter of undertaking from Lynas Australia that it would adhere to this condition.

TOL sell-out by PSC: The final smirk from Lynas Malaysia Chronicle,  by  Charles Santiago, 19 June 12,  We welcome the report of the Parliamentary Select Committee which has produced its recommendations, including the upgrading of the standards used by the AELB. But while we appreciate the effort, this is clearly a document which has only looked at ways to keep the Lynas Advance Material Plant (LAMP) in operation.

The key area – returning the radioactive waste to Western Australia – has not been looked at although it was one of the earliest pre-conditions to the government granting Lynas a Temporary Operating License.

Violating pre-requisite to the Temporary Operating License (TOL)   Over a ten-year period of the plant’s operation, the total volume of wastes will amount to 2,766,600 cubic metro. Over a 20-year period, as Lynas continues to enjoy its tax break, the waste would presumably have doubled. And it is highly inconceivable that there will be enough soil and technology available to “dilute” the wastes and remove its radiation level to natural ground level radiation.

This is especially crucial as Lynas plans to store the wastes onside in the Residue Storage Facility (RSF). The PSC recommendation has noted that some of the regulations imposed by the Malaysian government are better than international standards.

But according to the Lynas document which is under review, the management of radioactive residue generated from the decommissioning activities of LAMP upon cessation of operations after 20 years are not within the scope of the Lynas Radioactive Waste Management Plan or RWMP but presented in a separate document titled “Decommissioning Plan (Environ 2011b). This is certainly not in tandem with international standards. (more…)

Posted in Lynas, politics, RARE EARTHS, wastes | Leave a Comment »

ERA’s Jabiluka uranium project not likely to proceed

June 24, 2012

No start on horizon for Jabiluka development, SMH, Peter Ker, June 21, 2012 Development of Australia’s most prospective and controversial uranium deposit, Jabiluka, is unlikely to happen in the next decade despite its leaseholder improving relations with local indigenous groups.
That’s the view of analysts visiting the Northern Territory operations of uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia this week.
ERA is currently hosting major investors on a tour of its mines and leases near Kakadu National Park, in a bid to promote its recent decision to spend $57 million on a ‘pre-feasibility’ study into turning its Ranger open cut mine into an underground operation.
But discussion of ERA’s future inevitably turns to Jabiluka, which has remained untapped for years out of respect for the wishes of the local indigenous Mirrar people…… ERA, which is majority owned by Rio Tinto, has been targeted by environmental groups who believe its proximity to Kakadu is inappropriate.  http://www.smh.com.au/business/no-start-on-horizon-for-jabiluka-development-20120621-20pju.html#ixzz1yYEL25eI

Posted in economics, environment, ERA | Leave a Comment »

Concern about safety of Lynas’ rare earths stockpile near Fremantle

June 24, 2012

Rare earth stockpile radiation levels questioned ABC News, June 20, 2012  An MP is calling on the State Government to make radiation monitoring results public after revelations the Lynas Corporation has been stockpiling rare earth concentrate in Bibra Lake. The Member for Fremantle, Adele Carles, says the Government is yet to confirm whether
monitoring is being conducted.

The Environment Minister Bill Marmion has confirmed the containers have been held at Lynas’ holding yard since March…… Ms Carles says the Government is basically saying the material is perfectly safe. ”I say to them, well, if it’s so safe, then release to us the radiation monitoring so that we can see that for ourselves,” she said.

Ms Carles says monitoring is required under a Radiation Management Plan. ”That requires that if this material is stored anywhere for more than 24 hours, there must be radiation monitoring,” she said. ”I’ve asked to get copies of this monitoring and the Minister has basically denied that information.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-20/questions-over-rare-earth-stockpile/4081280?section=wa

Posted in Lynas, RARE EARTHS, safety | Leave a Comment »

Continuing losses for ERA with Ranger uranium mne

June 24, 2012

Ranger uranium miner ERA predicts loss of up to $60m, BY: BARRY FITZGERALD   The Australian June 20, 2012 RANGER uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia has flagged a $50 million to $60m loss for the first half.

The forecast loss by the listed Rio Tinto subsidiary was made by the company in presentation notes filed with the ASX ahead of a two-day tour by analysts of the Northern Territory mine….

.. Earlier this month, ERA approved $57m for expenditure on a study into the potential of the Ranger 3 Deeps mine. A decision on its viability is due in late
2014.

Posted in economics, ERA, Ranger | Leave a Comment »

Recommendations to preserve South Australia’s environment from the toxic uranium industry

June 24, 2012

Olympic Dam / Roxby mine Recommendations 2012, by David Noonan, 18 June 2012:

Prevent South Australia becoming the Radioactive State by requiring BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam / Roxby mine to:

  •  only trade in copper and other non-radioactive products;
  •  not export uranium or to sell proposed radioactive copper-uranium concentrates; and
  •  leave the uranium and all other radioactive waste at the mine site.

 Repeal the Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) Act 1982 and the 2011 amendments to the Indenture to:  remove the extraordinary legal privileges granted to BHP Billiton including the override of state legislation that would apply to any other mining venture or commercial activity.

 Require BHP Billiton to commit to environmental protection measures to:  

  • dispose of radioactive tailings into the proposed new Roxby open pit and to rehabilitate the pit should it be constructed; 
  • prevent liquid radioactive waste leakage from tailings piles – including by required lining of the tailings piles; 
  • use renewable energy for the full electricity supply to the proposed new open pit mine, rather than the BHP Roxby mine plan for a jump of 12 percent in SA’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and to phase out use of fossil fuels for the electricity supply to the existing mine; 
  • stop extraction of Great Artesian Basin waters from Borefield A as soon as possible and to phase out rather than expand extraction of GAB waters from Borefield B; 
  • and commit to biodiversity projects that genuinely compensate for the loss of flora and fauna caused by the mine project, proposed new open pit and associated operations.

 Protect the unique ecology of the Upper Spencer Gulf and the breeding ground of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish by:   prohibiting the construction of a major desalination plant in this fragile region by BHP Billiton.

These Recommendations are based on my recent update of the relevant sections of the “2010 State Election Agenda for SA” (authored by CCSA, ACF, TWS and NCSSA) that I had a lead role in as then ACF national nuclear free campaigner.

Posted in BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam, politics | Leave a Comment »

Australia’s uranium industry – all hype, but really its outlook is poor

June 24, 2012

for all the hype, uranium accounts for a lousy 0.3% of Australian export revenue and a negligible 0.02% of Australian jobs. The industry’s future depends on the nuclear power “renaissance”, but global nuclear power capacity has been stagnant for the past 20 years. 

The uranium price tanked after the Fukushima disaster and so far there is no sign of a bounce.

Australian uranium industry in trouble after Fukushima,June 2, 2012,Green Left, By Jim Green A protest walk from Wiluna to Perth took place last year against the proposed Wiluna uranium mine.

These are interesting times in the uranium sector. The mining companies have had a few wins in the 14 months since the Fukushima disaster, but they’ve had more losses.

Bill Repard, organiser of the Paydirt Uranium Conference held in Adelaide in February, put on a brave face with this claim: The sector’s hiccups in the wake of Fukushima are now over with, the global development of new nuclear power stations continues unabated, and the Australian sector has literally commenced a U-turn in every sense. (more…)

Posted in economics | Leave a Comment »

Lynas likely to abandon its rare earths project in Malawi

June 24, 2012

Lynas Likely To Give Up Rare Earths Project in Africa International Business Times,  By Esther Tanquintic-Misa | June 14, 2012  With its highly-controversial Malaysian rare earths processing plant an already ample source of headache, Lynas Corp. has been reported to be likely backing out from another rare earths project, this time in Africa.

Citing unidentified industry sources, The West Australian reported that Lynas Corp. is thinking of shunning the Kangankunde rare earths project in Malawi after a Malawi High Court questioned the authenticity of the Australian miner’s ownership over the project…..
With the recent development, the Australian rare earths miner deemed it might be better to give up the African project altogether, than suffer again the same fate as with its highly controversial rare earths processing plant in Malaysia, The West Australian reported…. Lynas Corp. “is reassessing the project’s risks in the context of Malawi’s present governance and institutional frameworks,” sources told The West Australian. … http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/351984/20120614/lynas-corp-rare-earths-malawi-africa-malaysia.htm

Posted in economics, Lynas | Leave a Comment »

Despite the questionable economic forecast, Tony Abbott enthusiastic about Olympic dam uranium mine

June 24, 2012

BHP Billiton has revealed it is unlikely to go ahead with all of its major resources projects

Tony Abbott vows to clear way for giant Olympic Dam mine, Courier Mail : By Mark Kenny  The Advertiser June 13, 2012 FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has committed to removing all obstacles to the Olympic Dam mine’s expansion and making its success a priority of the Coalition if it wins government.

He also said that Prime Minister Julia Gillard must give BHP Billiton a written assurance that the Minerals Resource Rent Tax will never be imposed on copper, gold and uranium – which are central to the expanded mine’s operations. (more…)

Posted in BHP Billiton, Olympic Dam, politics | Leave a Comment »

Lynas rare earths project – a political hot potato in Malaysia

June 24, 2012

Activists say Lynas plant will affect Malaysia polls Radio Australia  4 June 2012, In Malaysia, residents opposing an Australian rare earth processing plant say the issue will affect the country’s forthcoming election and has the potential to influence the outcome in four marginal seats. Residents of Kuantan in Malaysia’s east have long opposed the plant which has been built at a cost of $800 million by Australia’s Lynas Corporation. (more…)

Posted in Lynas, RARE EARTHS | Leave a Comment »

Wiluna uranium mine project – a recipe for permanent toxic radioactive pollution

June 24, 2012

Preventing tailings contamination even after a uranium mine has closed has proved impossible in every uranium mine in Australia to date there is no former Australian uranium mine that has been rehabilitated successfully — all are still radioactive no-go zones because of radionuclide dispersal from waste stockpiles and water seepage. We will be fooling ourselves if we think that “best practice” regulation can somehow contain tens of millions of tonnes of finely powdered carcinogenic wastes for thousands of years.

Uranium mine tailings leave an enduring toxic legacy http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/opinion/post/-/blog/13904615/uranium-mine-tailings-leave-an-enduring-toxic-legacy/ Alison Xamon , June 8, 2012,  The Environmental Protection Authority’s approval of a uranium mine in Wiluna should concern all West Australians. This is no longer a theoretical discussion. Research shows a serious risk that uranium mining will cause long-term harm to WA communities. Uranium mining has caused a string of accidents across Australia and has proved impossible to regulate appropriately.

Yet the highly radioactive waste produced by uranium mines — known as uranium mine tailings — remain radioactive for thousands of years. The State Government has given a commitment to seek to regulate uranium mining through “world’s best practice”, including isolating uranium tailings for at least 10,000 years. This is a worthy commitment but it is unclear how it will be achieved, especially when it is apparent that no uranium site in Australia has successfully accomplished this for even 10 years. (more…)

Posted in environment, Toro Energy | Leave a Comment »

« Older Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.