The Milo uranium prospect is about 21 miles (34 km) south-west of Clonclurry, Queensland (about 13 km south-west of the disaster known as Mary Kathleen). Although only a small, low grade prospect, apparently 9.12 tons of ore were mined from the prospect, with the uranium grade unknown (1).In 1951, the The University of Queensland acquired the old lead-zinc mine at Finney's Hill, 1 km from the Indooroopilly train station. It had operated in the 1920's and produced a minor amount of lead, silver and zinc (3). The former Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering used it as an experimental mine for teaching and research (3).
Although this is unconfirmed, it may be possible that the uranium ore from Milo was left effectively abandoned onsite at the Finney's Hill experimental mine from the mid-1950's until the mid-1980's when it was removed after action and protests by local residents (2).
These same residents are now suing for cancers they and their children are now suffering (2).
If anyone has any more information, please let me know !
1 - D W P Corbett & I R McLeod, 1966, Uranium. In : Australian Mineral Industry : The Mineral Deposits. Department of National Development, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics. Bulletin No. 72, pages 651-659.
2 - Cancer Compo Sought Over Urban Mine, The Australian, July 20, 1998.
3 - E Heidecker, 1975, The University of Queensland Experimental Mine, Finney's Hill - Structural Geology.
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