Re: Kakadu National Park

[Alex.Zapantis@ea.gov.au (Alex Zapantis)]

Dear Franz

It just so happens that the part of the Federal Government I work for is
responsible for supervising the uranium mining operations in Kakadu, so I may be
able to answer your question.

There is an agreement between the aboriginal traditional owners of the land on
which the Ranger uranium mine lease is situated and the Australian Commonwealth
Government, which allows Energy Resources of Australia (the owner of the mine)
to mine, and sets the royalty payments etc. 

ERA also own the Jabiluka uranium lease, which abutts the Ranger lease. The
orebody is about 20km north of the Ranger orebodies. The Commonwealth Government
recently considered the Environmental Impact Statement prepared by ERA for the
Jabiluka proposal, and found no environmental grounds on which to oppose the
development. 

There is an existing agreement to mine between the previous senior aboriginal
traditional owner of the jabiluka lease and the previous owner of the Jabiluka
lease, Pancontinental. That agreement allowed for the ore to be mined and milled
at the jabiluka site, requiring the construction of a mill, tailings dam etc
etc. The proposal put forth by ERA is to mine the ore at Jabiluka, truck it 20km
south to Ranger, and mill it there. This option is not covered by the existing
agreement. It can only proceed if a new agreement, which allows milling of the
ore at Ranger, is developed.

The current senior traditional owner of the jabiluka lease opposes the
development. ERA is continuing negotiations. However, if they should fail, their
fall back position is to build a mill at jabiluka and mill it there. ERA
believes that the existing agreement between Pancontinental and the aboriginal
traditional owners (which now applies to ERA as they now own the lease), is
binding, and that they can proceed with that option without any further
agreements with the traditional owners. If it comes to that, the traditional
owners may challenge that view in the courts. 

If ERA did decide to take the latter course, there would be a requirement for
further environmental impact assessment. The level of assessment required would
be determined by the Commonwealth Government.

I should note that the above informed pearls of wisdom are mine, and do not
necessarilly represent the position of the Australian Commonwealth Government.

Regards