Nabarlek uranium mine

Nabarlek uranium mine
	General information about the mine
	Yellow Sklodovskite crystals from the Nabarlek uranium mine (image width: 5.8 mm)
Mining technology	Open pit
Funding / total	10,858 t
	Information about the mining company
Operating company	Queensland Mines Pty Ltd
Start of operation	1979
End of operation	1988
	Funded raw materials
Degradation of	Uranium ore
	Geographical location
Coordinates	12 ° 18 '17.1 " S , 133 ° 19' 22" E Coordinates: 12 ° 18 '17.1 " S , 133 ° 19' 22" E
	Location of the Nabarlek uranium mine
Location	Arnhem Land
territory	Northern Territory
Country	Australia

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The Nabarlek uranium mine is located approximately 250 km east of Darwin and 62 km northeast of Jabiru in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory , Australia . The mining area is located in the water catchment area of the Buffalo and Coopers Ceek , which flows into the East Alligator River . The uranium deposit was discovered in 1970 by Queensland Mines Pty Ltd (QML), mining ended in 1989 and the mine closed in 1994/1995.

politics

The uranium mining in the anti-nuclear movement in Australia and the population is controversial. In 1978, the Australian Prime Minister allowed Malcolm Fraser from the conservative Liberal Party to uranium mining in Nabarlek. The Australian policy of uranium mining and export has changed in Australia. From 1983 the so-called three-mine policy ( Tree-Mine-Policy ) was followed after a change of government to the Australian Labor Party with the three uranium mines Nabarlek, Ranger-Uran-Mine and Olympic Dam . Another change of policy took place after the national elections in March 1996, after which the opportunity for foreign corporations to acquire ownership of uranium mines in Australia was made easier.

Aboriginal

The uranium mine is located in an area of the Kunwinjku - Aborigines , where Gabo-Djang , the Green Ant Dreaming (the dream time of the green ant) is located. Aboriginal people believe that mining destroys the green ant's eggs and releases them, which then eat up the earth.

During an ongoing application process for the acquisition of land rights by the Aborigines, a Native Title , the QML drilled holes in June 1970 without appropriate permits. The Aborigines then complained to the relevant authorities in 1972. The QML offered the Aborigines to purchase the property for AUD $ 5,000 in 1970 and AUD $ 3 million in February 1974. After this offer, QML developed a large media campaign. In August 1976 the Oenpelli Tribal Council declared : "If Oenpelli had the power to make the final decision, it would oppose mining." (German: "If Oenpelli had the power to make a final decision, it would stop mining.")

Degradation and pollution of the biosphere

Despite the longstanding and determined resistance of the Aborigines, the QML received government approval in 1978. The mine started mining in 1979 after just 149 days of preparatory work. The Nabarlek uranium deposit is relatively small, 10,858 tons of uranium oxides were extracted in 10 years of mining.

The ore from this deposit is highly radioactive and the workers had to wear protective clothing and could not stay more than an hour per week at some mining sites in order not to exceed the maximum permissible dose. In August 1980 the Waterside Workers Federation of Australia and in March 1981 the Seaman Union of Australia refused to transport the Nabarlek yellow cake . In the same month there was an incident with radioactive water leakage that contaminated the site and the water drain. This incident did not become public until a few months later.

In 1994/1995 the mine was shut down and the site restored. In a government statement it was stated: “It is still believed to be a unique occurrence of uranium mining in the world.” (German: “It is nevertheless believed that it is a uniquely safe uranium mine in the world.”) In early 2008, Uranium Equities Limited (UEL) bought the QML and developed plans for further exploitation, carried out further rehabilitation work on the area, and received another mining permit on May 28, 2008 after submitting a new mine plan .