“Uranium Mining in Western Australia isn’t viable.”

Uranium simply isn’t worth the risk

April 16, 2009 — tony serve
Uranium Mining in WA isn’t even viable.
let alone not being safe, green, or necessary!

Former Senator and long time Activist Jo Vallentine loooks at some hard realities.

MEDIA RELEASE

Uranium Mining companies in a race to nowhere

Despite all the hype about getting a uranium mine operating in Western Australia, the Anti-Nuclear Alliance of W.A. believes that itís all talk, and a lot of investorsí money being frittered away on an unwinnable contest, according to spokesperson, Jo Vallentine.

Toro Energy is hoping to get Lake Way developed, Mega uranium is betting on getting the Lake Maitland deposit up and running, BHPBilleton is talking up the prospects of proceeding with their Yeelirri deposit. Without either regulatory or transport, or water usage frameworks in place.

All these companies need to take a reality check.

While the Barnett government is keen to promote any kind of mining at any cost, so many questions remain unanswered about the highly controversial mining of uranium, which everyone knows is in a different category from any other mining, because of the radiaoactivity involved, and potentially released, at all stages of the process.

On top of those doubts, fundamental questions remain regarding water resources in dry areas surrounding Willuna, Meekatharra and Leinster, where is that amount of clean water going to come from?

(uranium mining is a water guzzling operation Roxby Downs consumes 35 million litres per day!)

Where and how would the yellowcake be transported, and to which railheads and ports to be shipped away? Kalgoorlie? Not a popular idea there, with the local mayor already having said he was not impressed with the idea. ( click here for TV news story on Kalgoorlie rejecting Uranium transit )

Geraldton? Is that what the nearby proposed Okajee port is all about? A discreet railway, just for getting the yellowcake out of the state?

Globally, with Presidents Obama and Medvedev committing to massive reductions in the nuclear weapons count, a great deal of processed nuclear weapons grade material will be flooding the international market soon, thus lowering the price for yellowcake.

Investors would be better served by putting their money into certainty for the future via the renewable energy sector, rather than gambling their money andf our safety on a loser.