PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government has gleefully welcomed reports that Queensland was considering reinstituting a ban on uranium mining, with Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Marmion saying the decision would allow Western Australia to capitalise on investment in the sector.
While the Queensland government has issued no formal statement on the rumoured decision, Queensland Minister for State Development, Natural Resources and Mines Anthony Lynham had reportedly confirmed that a prohibition on uranium mining would once again be put in place.
“The industry can rest assured we are working to maximise uranium opportunities in Western Australia, as opposed to Queensland Labor’s short-sighted approach,” Marmion, who is a Liberty party member, said on Thursday.
“It begs questions over where Western Australian Labor sits on the issue. It’s certainly not backing the communities and families that will benefit from the responsible development of this industry.”
Since Western Australia’s uranium mining ban was lifted in in 2008, more than A$300-million has been invested in uranium exploration, Marmion pointed out.
“What is so exciting is that exports from Western Australia’s four advanced projects could top A$1-billion a year by 2020, if uranium prices recover to economic levels,” the Minister said.
“These mines could employ more than 1 500 people during construction and 500 people during operations, not to mention the indirect employment opportunities.”
Marmion said that the newly-elected Queensland government’s arguments “defied logic”, adding that not only was the mining sector currently facing challenges, but global energy demand was escalating and nuclear power was an increasingly important lower-emission power source.