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‘Jobs And Opportunities’ As Queensland Prepares To Restart Uranium Mining

By David Dalton
7 August 2014

8 Aug (NucNet): New jobs and economic opportunities will be created after the Queensland government announced it was ready to accept applications for uranium mining in the state, a statement said.

Mines minister Andrew Cripps released a “modern and robust framework” to ensure Queensland’s future uranium mines will adhere to the world’s best environmental protection and safety standards.

He also announced the release of the former Mary Kathleen uranium mine for competitive tender for rare earths exploration.

Mr Cripps said: “It is now up to industry to decide when to lodge applications for uranium mining and those decisions will be influenced by a number of factors including global commodity prices, market supply and demand and mining costs.”

The statement said any uranium produced in Queensland will be exported through existing licensed ports in Darwin and South Australia. There are no ports in Queensland licensed for the export of uranium.

Uranium exports will only be allowed to countries that have a bilateral safeguard arrangement with Australia and only “for peaceful purposes”.

The statement said: “Nuclear energy production or waste disposal plants will not be permitted.”

In October 2012 the incoming Liberal-National Party state government ended a Labor Party prohibition on uranium mining.

“Labor's ban on uranium mining was purely ideological,” said Mr Cripps, “but we have taken steps to ensure this valuable resource is unlocked for the benefit of all Queenslanders.”

Queensland's department of natural resources and mines estimates the uranium resource potential of the state at 165.95 million tonnes of ore with a total uranium oxide content of 107,000 tonnes (90,730 tU).

The department said Australia has the world’s most extensive uranium resources, with about a third of global reasonably assured resources, and is the world's third largest producer of uranium after Kazakhstan and Canada.

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