News Flash:
ABC Online
Saturday, September 4, 2004. 5:47pm (AEST)

New shutdown: A chemical spill has closed the processing facility. (ABC TV)
Spill halts Ranger's processing plant

Photo: ABC TV

Operations at the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory have again been disrupted, this time by a spill near the mine's processing plant. The mine, which is surrounded by Kakadu National Park, had only reopened early yesterday evening. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) had shut it down for most of the week to deal with issues raised by two Commonwealth reports into an incident in March. Workers at the mine had drank and showered in water contaminated with uranium. In the new incident, 20 litres of process chemicals - an organic kerosene-like material containing small amounts of uranium - have spilled out of a contained area on the site. An ERA spokeswoman says the spill has been cleaned up and poses no health, safety or environmental risk. She says mining is continuing but cannot confirm when the processing plant will restart.

Ranger uranium mine contamination Senate report:

Traditional owners say the Northern Territory Government should immediately take action over the contamination incidents.

Traditional owners say the operator of the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory should be stripped of its export licence unless it immediately overhauls its safety and environmental management.

It is unclear how long it will take the Northern Territory Government to decide whether it will penalise ERA over the contamination incidents. The Northern Territory Government indicated it would make a decision on possible legal action by the end of the week, but it has now backed away from any timeframe for a decision.

The Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation's Justin O'Brien says it should not wait any longer.

"There are two reports. They list an absolute litany of errors. It's led to the shutdown of the mine," Mr O'Brien said.

"It now behoves the Northern Territory Government, we believe, to immediately levy some economic sanction against the mine."

Source: ABC Online, 31st August 2004

The Greens
Greens say the Ranger mine should stay closed forever:

http://www.kerrynettle.org.au

It has been a fortnight full of wins for opponents to the nuclear cycle. As The Greens had called for, the operating and export licence for Energy Resources Australia's Ranger Uranium Mine in Kakadu was revoked. This followed the tabling in the Senate of the Supervising Scientist's report into the contamination of water and vehicles at the Ranger uranium mine.

"This is just the latest in a list of over 120 publicly documented leaks, contaminations and operating breaches at Ranger. Enough is enough the mine should be closed down."

"The Greens believe the Minister should close this mine for good. The environmental threats and the health threats its continuing operations pose are too great to ignore.

"The report on the contamination incident is littered with examples of incompetent safety procedures which beggar belief. The report tells us that the workers who were affected by the contamination need ongoing health checks as a result of their exposure, this fact alone should move the Minister to take the strongest possible action against ERA.

"The Greens cite this incident as the latest example of the inherently damaging nature of uranium mining which Australia should not support. The Greens policy calls for an end to uranium mining and closure of Australia's only nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney.

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Uranium Contamination Spreads
Media Release
26 March 2004

The Ranger uranium mine remains closed following the discovery overnight that some 150,000 litres of water contaminated with uranium levels estimated at 108 parts per billion (five times the Australian drinking water standard) spilled from the Jabiru East water supply off the mine site. This incident has exposed the surrounding environment, the drinking water of businesses based at Jabiru East and downstream Aboriginal communities to an unprecedented threat.

Jabiru East lies some 3 kilometres from the Ranger mine site operated by Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) and is the location of the Jabiru Airport and related facilities, and the offices of the Environmental Research Institute of the Supervising Scientist.

The event is related to an incident at Ranger 48 hours ago when mine workers were exposed to water contaminated with 8,000 parts per billion uranium (400 times the drinking water standard) in their drinking water supply. It is believed the contamination occurred after mine process water was allowed to mix with the potable water supply due to an incorrect connection of pipes.

Executive Officer of Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, Mr Andy Ralph, said that at a minimum these events have breached the environmental requirements that ERA is obliged to meet. He stressed that the Mirrar People are, however, more concerned for people and country.

"The Mirrar Traditional Owners are fearful of people getting injured or sick on their country, they feel sorry for the mine workers who may have been exposed and are angry at the patently inadequate management of Ranger¡¯s process water."

"Along with Northern Territory and Commonwealth regulators, the company is responsible for protecting the environment and people. This incident has potentially put at risk not only the ecosystems of Kakadu¡¯s waterways, but also the health of the Aboriginal people who live and hunt nearby, as well as employees based at Jabiru East and tourists passing through the airport," Mr Ralph said.

"It appears that this incident is not simply a matter of human error but that there is an endemic problem with the management of process and potable water at Ranger. At present no one can rule out that the events which led to this contamination have not taken place before."

Mr Ralph said that while these latest incidents have tested relations between the Mirrar and ERA, the Traditional Owners remain keen to work closely with the company to progress environmental and social issues relating to the October 2003 Senate inquiry."

"The Senate inquiry¡¯s findings have been largely ignored to date, this incident highlights the need for the concerns of the Mirrar to be seriously considered and factored into the day-to-day operations at Ranger. We look forward to the cooperation of the mining company and the government regulators in the implementation of the inquiry¡¯s recommendations."

"In the interim Gundjehmi awaits a full and public report on the incidents, along with recommendations to prevent a recurrence of this serious contamination."

Yvonne, sister Melanie, Christine Christoperson and Mirrar kids protest

Mirrar Welcome Senate Report

Media Release
15 OCTOBER 2003

The Traditional Owners of the Jabiluka and Ranger uranium mine areas in Kakadu National Park, the Mirrar People, today welcomed the Senate inquiry report into the environmental regulation of uranium mining, claiming it vindicates long-held concerns. The report was tabled in the Senate last night.

Mirrar spokesperson Andy Ralph said the report is testimony to the Mirrar's worries over the inadequacy of the Commonwealth and Northern Territory regulation of the uranium projects at Kakadu.

"The report acknowledges the Mirrar concerns regarding protecting the environment and that the Commonwealth and Territory regulators must lift their game. It raises the bar on environmental protection."

"While we applaud the good work the mining company has done at both Ranger and Jabiluka over the past 18 months, the Traditional Owners of this country will always seek to guarantee the best environmental protection possible. It's somewhat ironic that the mining company itself has lifted its game and that the Commonwealth and Territory regulators are lagging behind." Mr Ralph said.

Importantly, the Senate has also acknowledged that Mirrar should have a greater involvement in the protection and management of their country - by assuming positions on key forums such as the so-called Minesite Technical Committees.

The report also acknowledged that the allegations by former Ranger employee Mr Geoffrey Kyle of environmental mismanagement at the mine site (dating back several years) have not been adequately assessed by the Commonwealth and Territory and that the need for a truly independent assessment of the allegations remains.
"The allegations by Mr Kyle prompted the Senate inquiry in the first place, so it's heartening to see that his comments and concerns have not fallen on deaf ears," Mr Ralph said.

The Senate Committee has agreed with Mirrar that the environmental monitoring systems at Ranger and Jabiluka need to be broadened, by increasing the number of monitoring points, adopting event-based monitoring and reviewing the limits set for contaminants. Many other recommendations reflect the arguments of the Traditional Owners and their representatives. Mr Ralph said it is now timely to consider what aspects of the report may be implemented in the short-term.
"We're calling for the mining company, the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments to sit down with the Traditional Owners and the Northern Land Council to discuss the implementation of the recommendations of the report. This should happen as a matter of priority," Mr Ralph concluded.

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