Uranium Mining Poisoning WA ’s Groundwater Forever

July 25, 2009

In regard to the recent announcement by Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson for a yet another proposal for a uranium mine in WA, this time at Lake Maitland 950kms Northeast of Perth, I don’t believe the average West Australian actually realises what we are in for here in the West by opening up our state to uranium mining.

The Federal Environment Ministers recent decision to approve the Beverley Four Mile uranium mine in South Australia, however gives us some insight into what we can expect here.

Described by Minister Garrett as being ‘world’s best practice’, the American owned Beverley Four Mile Uranium mine will use the controversial in-situ leach mining technique which involves deliberately pumping sulphuric acid into a public owned water aquifer to dissolve the uranium ore. Once the uranium is extracted from the surface the radioactive liquid waste from this process is then dumped into the aquifer.

Given that the environmental regulators in the US refuse to allow this practice on their own soil, and the fact that aquifers in Eastern Europe have been heavily polluted by this practice why is our Federal government allowing it in Australia?

Although Minister Garrett has talked about ’strict’ monitoring requirements ‘well after this South Australian mine ceases’, a long-term problem will undoubtedly arise from the fact that concentrated radioactive materials survive for thousands of years.

How can the uranium mining company have ’strict’ monitoring for that length of time? Another WA proposal to mine uranium at the Yeelirie deposit some 550 kms east of Geraldton, will also be dependant on Minister Garrett’s approval.

As with all uranium mines enormous quantities of water are going to be needed to mine the Yeelirie uranium deposit and Premier Barnett and Mines Minister Moore would have to be well aware of just how very thirsty this type of mining is.

With more than one hundred uranium mining companies currently exploring in WA it is interestingly to note that the WA State Water Resources Minister Graham Jacobs has been urging WA householders to reduce their water consumption and to conserve our precious water resources through household sprinkler bans.

Is polluting our groundwater aquifers with sulphuric acid on the one hand, and then asking householders to turn off their sprinklers, the Barnett Governments idea of being ‘water wise?

I urge all West Australians to become acquainted with all the facts surrounding uranium mining before we find ourselves with a toxic legacy that never, ever goes away and the website for the Antinuclear Alliance of WA (ANAWA) is a good place to start.

http://dawnjecks.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/uranium-mining-poisoning-wa-s-groundwater-forever/