Uranium In Australia : A Detailed Timeline
1970 to 1996
Compiled by the SEA-US Webmaster
1996
- December - SA government approves further exploration at Beverley, including permission to establish infrastructure and boreholes for a future in-situ leaching trial without a full EIS.
- October 17 - Draft Jabiluka EIS released.
- July - WMC Board commits to the major expansion of Roxby Downs, with "detailed design" to 200,000 tonnes per year copper level, and "conceptual design" to 350,000 tonnes per year of copper.
- June 29 - Draft Guidelines for the Jabiluka EIS released.
- June - Federal government decides a new EIS is needed for the proposed Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu.
- May 2 - Due to pressure in the Senate, government concedes to a wide ranging inquiry on uranium mining and milling, and the Senate Select Committee on Uranium Mining and Milling is established.
- March - Liberal Coalition comes to power and proceeds with a policy of expansion of uranium mining throughout Australia.
- Federal ALP government allows for an expansion (doubling) of capacity of Roxby, which is beyond the assessed capacity of the original 1982 EIS, without a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
1995
- SA government approves additional free water for Roxby to allow for doubling of the mine's capacity.
- Olympic Dam/Roxby Downs completes second minor expansion to a production capacity of copper and uranium of about 85,000 and 1,600 tonnes per year, respectively.
1994
- Feb. 14 - Roxby reports it has a major tailings leak.
1993
- June - British Government agrees to contribute $20 million to clean up former nuclear test sites in Australia.
- WMC acquire full ownership of Roxby from BP.
1992
- Worker dies at Roxby as the explosives he was setting underground prematurely detonate.
- Olympic Dam/Roxby Downs completes minor expansion to a production capacity of copper and uranium of about 66,000 and 1,200 tonnes per year, respectively.
1991
- Final Radium Hill Study released, dismissing some of the complacent interim conclusions of 1986, and concluded that radiation may have contributed to premature deaths among the workforce. The Federal Industrial Relations Minister, Peter Cook, held out the possibility of compensation to 56 families of victims of Radium Hill.
- ERA purchase the Jabiluka deposit from Pancontinental.
1990
- Commercial Irradiation facility at Sydney, NSW decommissioned (see Steritech Pty Ltd)
1989
- October - The "Conservation Zone" is reduced in size to just 47 km2. The small area incorporated Coronation Hill and El Sherana and allowed for possible mining, while the rest of the "Conservation Zone was added to Kakadu National Park.
- September 19 - Minister's advice given for Coronation Hill uranium mine, deferring it to the to-be-formed 'Resource Assessment Commission'.
- August 2 - Final EIS released for public comment on the proposed remining of the old Coronation Hill uranium mine.
- April - Stages II and III of Kakadu National Park and the "Conservation Zone" are added to the Register of the National Estate.
1988
- December 7 - Draft EIS released for public comment on the proposed remining of the old Coronation Hill uranium mine.
- June - Nabarlek Uranium mine closes due to the final processing of the ore stockpile.
- Olympic Dam/Roxby Downs opens with a production capacity of copper and uranium of about 45,000 and 900 tonnes per year, respectively.
1987
- The Federal National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act was amended to ban exploration and mining in Kakadu National Park.
- Stage III is added to Kakadu National Park, with an area of 4,479 km2, with the "Conservation Zone" of 2,252 km2 specifically excluded to allow for potential re-development of mining at Coronation Hill and El Sherana.
- April - the AAEC is re-organised and renamed to the "Australian and Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation" (ANSTO).
1986
- Late - The ALP back-flip and endorse a management plan for Kakadu National Park which allows "limited" mining and exploration.
- July - SA Health Commission issued a progress report on the Radium Hill Health Study, pointing out that only 20% of the mine's workers (out of the 60% of the workforce it traced) had died up to that time, the Commission commented that it was "far too early to draw inferences about the effects of radiation exposure on lung cancer rates".
- January - Pancontinental announce a total reserve of 207,000 tonnes of contained U3O8 at the Jabiluka II deposit.
- The ALP endorse a management plan for Kakadu National Park which prohibits mining and exploration.
- ALP approval to export uranium to France - even though French nuclear testing in the Pacific continues.
- Rehabilitation works costing $19 million undertaken at Mary Kathleen mine in Queensland.
- Commercial Irradiation plant commissioned by Steritech Pty Ltd in Sydney, NSW.
1985
- Stage II of Kakadu National Park is declared with an area of 6,929 km2 - the Jabiluka mining lease was obviously excluded.
- Kintyre/Rudall River deposit discovered.
- Total begin to develop the Manyingee deposit in WA with an ISL-type uranium mine, despite the ALP Three Mine Policy.
1984
- October 30 - Ben Lomond Final EIS submitted to government. The EIS was not (apparently) approved by the Commonwealth.
- February - Mary Kathleen - one million litres of radioactive liquid was deliberately released from the mines evaporation ponds during an unexpectedly wet wet season.
- Major community protest actions and blockades continue at Roxby Downs.
- Pilot plant begins operation at Roxby Downs.
1983
- November 15 - Ben Lomond Draft EIS released for public comment.
- September 17 - The Commonwealth Government approves the EIS for the Roxby copper-uranium project.
- August 10 - The Commonwealth government approves the EIS and Roxby copper-uranium project.
- July 16 - The Hawke Government establishes a Royal Commission on British Nuclear Tests in Australia.
- June 28 - The South Australian government approves the EIS and Roxby copper-uranium project.
- June 8 - Prime Minister Bob Hawke announces that uranium sales to France might be banned unless it makes concessions on nuclear tests in the Pacific.
- June - Agreement with traditional owners reached for development of the Koongarra uranium deposit, although the new ALP government refuses further development.
- April 11 - The Supplementary EIS for Roxby copper-uranium project is released by WMC/BP.
- Hawke Government elected, bans uranium sales to France, adopts the "Three Mines Policy" which restricts uranium mining to the three named mines of Ranger, Nabarlek and Roxby Downs.
- Major community protest actions and blockades at Roxby Downs.
- Lake Way indefinitely suspended due to poor market conditions.
- Japanese company, PNC (Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan), dig an exploration pit 30 m by 200 m at the Mulga Rock deposit in WA. The ore is packed in drums and shipped back to Japan, although nothing further is known about what happened at the deposit or the removed ore.
1982
- October 19 - The Draft EIS for Roxby copper-uranium project is released by WMC/BP.
- October - Mary Kathleen processing plant permanently closed down.
- September - Mary Kathleen mine now depleted and permanently closed down.
- August 10 - Draft EIS for the proposed Beverley acid in situ leach uranium mine released for public comment. There was no Final EIS and was therefore not approved by the Commonwealth.
- June 21 - South Australian government passes the Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratifcation) Act, only after ALP politician (Stormin') Norman Foster crosses the floor in the Upper House to vote with the government. The Act ratifies guaranteed government support and subsidies to the mine, among a whole host of corporate goodies to keep WMC & BP happy.
- May - Community protest action at Honeymoon halts development of the mine.
- March 16 - The EIS for the proposed Jabiluka uranium project is approved by the Commonwealth.
- ALP National Conference adopts a no new mines policy allowing existing mines to continue and go-ahead to Roxby Downs. Export of uranium to France banned while it continues nuclear testing in the Pacific.
- Permission given for the Joint Venturers, Delhi Oil and Vam Ltd, to develop the Lake Way deposit, WA (early in the year).
- South Australian Health Commission and University of Adelaide commence a study of ex-miners from the Radium Hill mine.
- Queensland mining warden refuses permits for the Ben Lomond uranium mine, effectively stopping the development of the project.
1981
- Queensland Mines Ltd (QML) are taken over by Pioneer Concrete Ltd.
- The Waterside Worker's Federation maintained a seven week blockade on the Darwin wharf of uranium shipments from Ranger.
- Ranger Uranium mine begins operation in Kakadu National Park.
- Koongarra Final EIS submitted and approved.
- August 20 - Final EIS for the proposed Lake Way uranium project submitted to government. The EIS was not (apparently) approved by the Commonwealth.
- May 5 - Environmental approval for the proposed Honeymoon acid in situ leach uranium mine submitted to government.
- April 28 - Draft EIS for the proposed Lake Way uranium project released for public comment.
- April 8 - Final EIS for the proposed Honeymoon acid in situ leach uranium mine submitted to government.
1980
- November 18 - Draft EIS for the proposed Honeymoon acid in situ leach uranium mine released for public comment.
- August 22 - Nabarlek uranium processing plant begins full-scale operation.
- May - The Joint Venturer's behind the Roxby copper-uranium project, WMC and BP, commit to sinking an exploration and development shaft on site, known as the Whenan Shaft.
- March - Koongarra uranium deposit sold to Denison Mines (Canadian company).
- Construction of the open cut mine at Orebody #1 at Ranger, despite continuing community Aboriginal and opposition.
- Kakadu National Park is placed on the Register of the National Estate.
1979
- December - Formal EIS Guidelines issued by the SA Dept. of Environment for the Beverley Project, to be developed by the Oilmin Group as an open cut uranium mine.
- November 15 - Final EIS for the proposed Koongarra uranium project submitted to government.
- Late - Work begins on site as a joint venture between Western Mining Corporation (WMC) and British Petroleum (BP).
- October 12 - Nabarlek Uranium deposit is finished being mined, with all high grade ore stockpiled for later milling, plus low grade ore stockpiled for heap leaching.
- July 27 - Announcement of a formal Joint Venture between BP (49%) and WMC (51%) to develop Roxby. The BP ownership was divided between BP Australia Ltd (36.5%) and BP Petroleum Development Ltd (12.5%), the Australian and UK companies of the BP Group.
- July 13 - Final EIS for the proposed Jabiluka uranium project submitted to government.
- July - New South Wales government report on former workers at Radium Hill showed a cancer-related death rate four times the national average. Since 1960, 59% of the miners who worked underground at the mine over a period of two years or more have died of cancer.
- April - Excavation of overburden begins for mining of the Nabarlek uranium deposit in Arnhem Land, NT.
- February 16 - Final EIS for the proposed Nabarlek uranium project submitted to government.
- February 14 - Final EIS for the proposed Yeelirrie uranium project submitted to government.
- January 23 - Draft EIS for the proposed Koongarra uranium project released for public comment.
- Kakadu National Park is declared (Stage I) with an area of 6,144 km2 - the Ranger mining lease was obviously excluded.
- Construction of the uranium processing mill begins at Ranger, despite continuing community Aboriginal and opposition.
- Ranger agreement between mining companies, Federal government and the Northern Land Council concluded, after allegations of duress in obtaining Aboriginal signatures.
1978
- December - Koongarra Draft EIS released.
- November - Ranger agreement begins detailed negotiations between mining companies, Federal government and the Northern Land Council finalised - allegations of duress and coersion persist from Aboriginal groups.
- July 11 - Draft EIS for the proposed Yeelirrie uranium project released for public comment.
1977
- December 20 - Draft EIS for the proposed Nabarlek uranium project released for public comment.
- December 6 - Draft EIS for the proposed Jabiluka uranium project released for public comment.
- July - ALP adopts a policy of total opposition to the mining, milling and export of uranium.
- May 24 - Commonwealth government announces its nuclear safeguards policy, only one week after the Fox/Ranger Uranium Inquiry presented its final report.
- May 17 - Second report of the Fox/Ranger Uranium Inquiry.
- Ranger Uranium mine go-ahead by Fraser Coalition government.
- Commercial Irradiation facility at Dandenong, VIC decommissioned (see Steritech Pty Ltd)
- (Mid) - FoE's "Atom-Free Embassy" outside the Lucas Heights reactor, is mysteriously burnt down.
1976
- November 26 - Uranium mineralisation discovered at Ranger 68, approximately 4.5 km west of Jabiluka. Total ore estimated at 5,355 tonnes U3O8, although further exploration has been banned since 1977.
- October 26 - First report of the Fox/Ranger Uranium Inquiry.
- February - Mary Kathleen is re-opened and uranium production begins anew.
- A national one day railway strike was held by the union movement to protest against the mining of uranium at Mary Kathleen in Queensland.
- "Atom-Free Embassy" established by Friends of the Earth (FoE) outside the HIFAR reactor at Lucas Heights, southern Sydney.
1975
- October - The Ranger Project Area of 78.6 km2 was created, covering the Ranger #1 and #3 orebodies and other nearby uranium prospects - this is before the report of the Ranger Uranium Inquiry.
- July - Olympic Dam/Roxby Downs polymetallic orebody discovered, containing copper, uranium, gold, silver and rare earths.
- April - Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry (the Fox Inquiry) starts.
- Ben Lomond uranium deposit discovered near Townsville, Qld.
1974
- Late - Work begins to recommission the Mary Kathleen mine, to fill new contracts with the UK Atomic Energy Agency.
- Manyingee uranium deposit discovered, in north-western WA.
1973
- ALP in favour of uranium mining.
- Angela uranium deposit discovered near Alice Springs, NT.
- Larger uranium deposit discovered at Jabiluka No. 2, NT.
1972
- January - WMC announce the large uranium deposit at Yeelirrie, WA. WMC also begin trial mining to further explore and refine the geology of the site.
1971
- September - Queensland Mines downgrade the size and grade of the Nabarlek orebody to 9,530 tonnes U3O8 at the average grade of 2.37%.
- April 2 - Rum Jungle mine closed with over 100 km2 of tailings contaminated land surrounding the mine site and major ongoing pollution problems in the Finniss River catchment. Studies later show that 1,000 million equivalent cancer doses of radium were released by Rum Jungle, about a quarter of which was released from the mine site to the Finniss catchment and probably the ocean.(3).
- Uranium deposit discovered by Pancontinental at Jabiluka, NT (later known as the No. 1 deposit).
- Commercial Irradiation plant commissioned by Steritech Pty Ltd in Melbourne, VIC.
1970
- October - Peko Mines announce a possible resource of 70,000 tonnes U3O8 at Ranger #1 and #3 orebodies.
- September 1 - Queensland Mines Ltd announce reserves at Nabarlek to be 55,840 tonnes U3O8, at the extraordinary average grade of 27%.
- July - Formal discovery of the Koongarra uranium deposit by Noranda.
- July - Formal announcement of the Beverley Uranium deposit, north-west of Lake Frome, SA.
- June - Queensland Mines Ltd discover exceedingly high grade uranium mineralisation at Nabarlek, NT.
- April - First economic grade of uranium discovered at Beverley, SA - 0.32% over 2.5 m.
- Further uranium contracts were signed (4,805 t U3O8 ) for the Mary Kathleen uranium mine in Queensland. Plans begin to recommission the mine and processing plant.
Every attempt is made to make this timeline accurate and comprehensive, but please use carefully !!
Any questions, please email the SEA-US Webmaster.
Page last updated October 14, 2002.
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