Archive for the ‘Olympic Dam’ Category

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Leave uranium in the ground, says Indian visitor to Roxby Downs

April 28, 2013

“Please leave the uranium underground” , Roxby Downs Sun  April 4, 2013,  Indian national Bhargavi Dilipkumar has a message for BHP Billiton; to leave uranium underground for it has done more than enough damage to the environment.

Bhargavi visited Roxby Downs this week with Friends of the Earth Australia to receive a first hand experience of what uranium mining was all about and be the voice of India protesting the uranium trade between the two countries.

She said she had been part of the people’s movement that is strongly opposing the building of an atomic power plant to be built at the southern part of India.

Bhargavi is an anti nuclear activitist from India who strongly believes that BHP Billiton should shelve its uranium export program and be responsible for the safety of the environment and million of lives back home.

She visited the Olympic Dam mine and tried to persuade BHP Billiton management to have a heart for the people of India who will suffer long term consequences if the atomic power plant was allowed to go ahead.

“Please leave the uranium underground,” she said.

“Don’t mine it because its destroying lives.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by German nationals Danda Petter and Miriam Ribbeck who had been part of a nation-wide protest to stop the construction of a nuclear plant at Freiburg.

They said the consequences of having a nuclear plant would definitely affect both Germany and France.

Vietnamese national Hai Levan said having seen the damage caused in Japan he would “fight to the death” to stop the building of a nuclear energy plant in South Central Vietnam.

“We can’t continue chopping down trees because it will cause flooding and harm our environment,” he said .http://www.roxbydownssun.com.au/story/1408776/please-leave-the-uranium-underground/?cs=1503

Posted in BHP Billiton, opposition to u-mining, Roxby Downs | Leave a Comment »

Australia’s uranium industry future – not looking too good

February 11, 2013

recent steps by BHP to cuts of its uranium program — from the delay of the uranium production expansion plan at the Olympic Dam project to the selling of a large Yeelirrie deposit located in Western Australia.

Recent Ranger and Olympic Dam issues along with various problems related to notable Australian uranium projects like Angela/Pamela, Kintyre, Oban, Wiluna and Koongarra, amongst others, have also caused concerns about the future development dynamics of the local uranium industry.

Australia’s uranium industry hits turbulence Mining.com, Vladimir Basov | February 8, 2013 Recent news from Australia raises serious concerns about the future development of its domestic uranium industry. While established players are exiting the market, others are lining up to explore new areas and have made some positive moves.

Open-pit mining operations at Ranger mine were terminated at the end of November 2012. To this date, Ranger mine was one of the largest uranium production centres worldwide with a total cumulative output of more than 100,000 tonnes of uranium oxide.

On Dec. 7, 2012, the operator of Ranger mine, Energy Resources of Australia Ltd. (ERA), announced that work on backfilling the pit had already started, with the first phase to be completed by the end of 2014. (more…)

Posted in Angela Pamela, BHP Billiton, Cameco, economics, ERA, Olympic Dam, Ranger, Yeelirrie | Leave a Comment »

BHP chucks in the towel on uranium mining, will focus on copper at Olympic Dam mine

December 28, 2012

BHP is now looking at less capital-intensive options for the mine, focusing on copper.

BHP shuts uranium arm; nuclear-fuel prospects dim
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bhp-shuts-uranium-arm-nuclear-fuel-prospects-dim-2012-12-06  By Robb M. Stewart MELBOURNE, 6 Dec 12, –BHP Billiton Ltd. BHP +0.19%  has shut its uranium division, responsible for its Olympic Dam copper-and-uranium mine, in a reflection of dimmed prospects for the nuclear fuel.

The South Australia mine has been folded into its base metals division, the company said in a statement Thursday. (more…)

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South Australian Greens defeated in effort to prevent extension of BHP’s Olympic Dam agreement

December 28, 2012

29 Nov 12,  A motion in State Parliament moved by Mark Parnell MLC, Greens Parliamentary Leader, to block the four year extension to the controversial Olympic Dam Expansion Indenture has been defeated.

Ex-Treasurer Kevin Foley had also called publicly for the extension to be refused and former Premier, Mike Rann, said as recently as August:

         ‘We don’t believe there is a basis for an extension of the indenture arrangements’

“It’s not often I agree with Kevin Foley, but he is dead right on this one,” said Mark Parnell.

“We shouldn’t be extending the enormously generous concessions granted to the world’s richest resource company when it is abundantly clear BHP Billiton has no intention to start the Olympic Dam expansion for years.

“It’s in South Australia’s best interests to negotiate a better deal if and when the project gets resurrected,” he said.

In Parliament tonight, Labor combined with the Liberal party to defeat the Motion and ratify the 4 year extension.

On one of the most radioactive days in State Parliament for some time, the Greens also moved a motion calling on the Government to prevent the transport of uranium from Western Australia through our State.  Adelaide-based Toro Energy Ltd is proposing to mine uranium in WA and ship the material to either Port Adelaide or Darwin through South Australia.

“It’s bad enough that SA uranium is being exported to facilities such as the crippled Fukushima reactor in Japan and hence into the broader environment through contamination.  We shouldn’t be the conduit for WA uranium either.  In both States, it’s best left in the ground”, concluded Mark  Parnell

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

Great Olympic Dam uranium dream stalled by high Costs

December 28, 2012

High costs stall Olympic Dam BY: SARAH MARTIN, SA POLITICAL REPORTER  : The Australian November 14, 2012   BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers says the Olympic Dam mine will not be expanded until the high-cost environment in Australia improves, with the resources industry overheated by too much demand.

The South Australian Labor government yesterday granted the miner an extension until October 2016 to its existing indenture agreement for the shelved mine expansion, in line with the project’s environmental approvals…..   subscription only  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/high-costs-stall-olympic-dam/story-e6frg9df-1226516169013

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

BHP thinks of resuscitating its Olympic Dam dream, as its shares fall

November 4, 2012

BHP seeks more time on Olympic Dam Kristie Batten , 27 September 2012 THE South Australian government says it will carefully consider a request by BHP Billiton for an extension to the December deadline for its shelved $A28 billion Olympic Dam expansion

The government received a letter requesting the four-year extension beyond December 15 ahead of a meeting between the miner and Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis in Adelaide yesterday.

“Very careful consideration will now be given to the company’s request and the reasons given for seeking an extension,” Koutsantonis said in a statement…….

this will require a lot more work at the pit, a lot more work here in Adelaide and the scale and the scope of that work will be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.”

However, SA Greens politician Mark Parnell told ABC Adelaide the government should reject the request and renegotiate.

“Extending a bad deal for four more years doesn’t improve it one iota,” he said.

“This is really a chance for South Australia to renegotiate with the world’s richest resource company a deal that looks after the environment, is better for the economy, guarantees local jobs and makes sure that all South Australians benefit from the resources that we own.”

BHP has said it did not expect to approve any major projects in the current financial year. Shares in BHP last traded 27c down to $32.54.

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

Now BHP wants the South Australian govt to extend its Indenture Act

November 4, 2012

BHP Billiton’s request for an indenture extension keeps the Olympic Dam project alive, says Greg Kelton. Adelaide Now 27 Sept 12 GET ready for another four years of “will they or won’t they”. South Australians will  have to play the political guessing game of what will happen to the much-vaunted Olympic Dam mine expansion, albeit on a much smaller scale.

The state has already gone through one major economic disappointment with BHP Billiton shelving the planned $30 billion expansion last month, claiming it was due to world economic conditions.

The proposed expansion had been sold to the public by Government, economic commentators and many in the mining industry as the state’s economic saviour, the  major project which would put SA up with the mining giant states of WA and Queensland.

BHP Billiton’s decision to ask for an extension of the indenture which was due to expire at the end of this year, keeps the project, in some form at least, alive….. Both parties now realise the project cannot be seen as the be-all and end-all for the state’s economy. Both have stated the need for more diversification of the state’s economic base. However, whatever they think, both parties will be keen for some form of Olympic Dam expansion to proceed. Their political futures might well depend on it. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/bhp-billiton-guessing-game-set-to-continue-in-south-australia/story-e6frealc-1226482133887

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

The Great Big BHP Uranium Mine – a burst bubble

November 4, 2012

Analysts had calculated the expansion would have cost BHP close to US$30 billion over several years as it developed a pit more than 4 kilometers long, 3.5 kilometers wide and 1 kilometer deep…. the plans had also envisaged the construction of a desalination plant, new port andairport facilities and expanded work accommodation.

BHP Gives South Australia No Guarantees For Olympic Dam Fox Business September 03, 2012 Dow Jones Newswires BHP Billiton (BHP) Chief Executive Marius Kloppers in a meeting Monday could provide no revised schedule, or guarantees, to the state premier of South Australia for the expansion of the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine… (more…)

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Bleak outlook for a new big BHP uranium mine – ever!

November 4, 2012

Kloppers’ bleak Olympic hopes by: Michael Owen, The Australian September 04,  A BLEAK outlook has been presented by BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers for an expanded Olympic Dam mine ever operating in South Australia.

Mr Kloppers yesterday held talks with Premier Jay Weatherill in Adelaide to explain why the miner’s board last month indefinitely shelved the $28.7 billion project. He emerged from the hour-long meeting to say there was no timeframe for the project and no guarantee it would ever go ahead.

This came more than a week after The Weekend Australian revealed that Mr Kloppers had warned the expansion might never happen because the project was now dependent on the uncertain development of cheaper “leaching” technology to expand the mine’s future production. He had said that unlike “optimistic” scientists, the miner was “insufficiently certain that an eventual project will happen”. Mr Kloppers reiterated that message yesterday after meeting with the Premier. “We have been working and expending a lot of money on trying to make this project a reality,” Mr Kloppers said…… ”I can’t give you any timeframe on how these things could progress.”

Asked if he could give a guarantee the mine would be redeveloped, he said: “No, I cannot.”

Mr Weatherill tried to maintain a positive message, but conceded the current model planned for the expansion “does not work”..  they are not able to advance a time when the technology will be proven, nor are they able to give us certainty about whether the technology will be capable of being proven, and therefore they will not be in a position to give us certainty about when the mine proceeds.”…

Mr Weatherill said that after his meeting yesterday, any future expansion was even further away than he had previously thought……

The opposition said all of the government’s tough-talking about BHP meeting its December deadline to go-ahead with the expansion and the project’s benefits for the state, had proven to be “bluff and bluster”. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kloppers-bleak-olympic-hopes/story-fn59niix-1226464289847

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

Tony Abbott’s lies can’t conceal the truth – that the global nuclear industry is in crisis

September 2, 2012

Lies, damned lies and Olympic Dam sized lies,   http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/lies-damned-lies-and-olympic-dam-sized-lies/   Independent Australia  23 August, 2012   Managing editor David Donovan reports on Tony Abbott’s “dishonest, self-interested fear campaign” about BHP’s decision to defer the Olympic Dam expansion; before environment editor Sandi Keane provides some disturbing background to this controversial project. In what has been described as

“…one of the most dishonest, self-interested fear campaigns … [ever] seen in Australian politics,”

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott  blamed the mothballing of the Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion on the mining and carbon taxes, before throwing in “industrial militancy” for ideological good measure.

In an excruciating interview on ABC 7.30, in which Abbott attempted to stick to his predetermined script, Leigh Sales’ unexpectedly direct questioning drew him unstuck.

In a telling moment, Abbott admitted to not having read the reasons for BHP making their decision, but dismissed that fact as irrelevant, emphasising the impact of the carbon and mining taxes — despite the mining tax only being levied on coal and iron ore mines.

To paraphrase The Opposition Leader’s icon:

“We will decide the reasons businesses make their internal commercial decisions and the manner in which they make them.”

For the record, the reasons offered by the Opposition Leader are in stark contrast to those given by BHP boss Marius Kloppers for the decision.

So, in other words, no, no and no, Mr Abbott.

The elephant in the room was, obviously, the fact that the nuclear industry is in crisis mode in the wake of the radioactive catastrophe at Fukushima last year, causing Japan to have no operating nuclear plants at present and Germany to make the decision to shut down all its nuclear plants by 2020. In light of that, it is perfectly reasonable for BHP to put this project in abeyance until it can be sure there will be a market for uranium — after they spend $30 billion to dig the biggest pit in human history.

One thing BHP, regrettably, is unlikely to have considered is the fact that the Olympic Dam mine expansion was always a rather dicey proposition — facing immense and concerted opposition from Indigenous and environmental groups.

This is because, firstly, there is significant evidence that the native title process entered into with Indigenous groups was flawed, perhaps even fraudulent (something IA is currently investigating).

In addition, as IA reported last year, Olympic Dam is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen, due to inadequate safeguards for the immense amount of exposed radioactive tailings that will be left lying around after BHP removes an unprecedented amount of overburden to get to the ore.

The following is the Independent Australia report by environment editor Sandi Keane, originally published on 18 October 2011, in which she discusses the disturbing health and environmental implications of the Olympic Dam expansion.

Uranium mine expansion: unleashing radioactive dust storms across Australia… http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/lies-damned-lies-and-olympic-dam-sized-lies/

 

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

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