PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government has approved Canada-based uranium major Cameco’s Yeelirrie uranium project, subject to 17 conditions.

Considered one of Australia's largest undeveloped uranium deposits, the Yeelirrie project has an estimated resource of 127.3-million pounds.  Cameco is proposing to mine up to 7 500 t/y of uranium oxide concentrate from the deposit, which is located about 420 km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and 70 km south-west of Wiluna.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett said this week that the approval of the Yeelirrie mine followed a rigorous environmental assessment process, significant public consultation and agreement between Environment Minister Albert Jacob and the Ministers for Water, Mines and Petroleum, Aboriginal Affairs and State Development.

“Australia has been producing and exporting uranium for peaceful purposes for more than 30 years and it is high time that Western Australia with our significant reserves, became part of that industry,” Barnett said.

“Australia's international treaties guarantee that uranium can only be used for peaceful purposes. We should also remember that nuclear medicine is also an important part of our healthcare system.”

State Development Minister Bill Marmion said uranium was an important industry for Western Australia. “Clearly, this project has the potential to deliver significant economic benefits to the State should it proceed.

"The government supports a well-regulated uranium industry for the jobs and economic growth potential it provides and for the clean energy production it supports,”said Marmion.

In its report on the project, located in the Northern goldfields, the Environmental Protection Authority advised that the proposal was acceptable for eight of nine key environmental factors, including protecting human health.  However, it recommended against approval because there was potential for the loss of species of stygofauna and troglofauna in the project area. Stygofauna and troglofauna are small creatures, predominantly crustaceans, that live permanently underground in water and in soils.

Jacob said in deciding to grant approval, the government had considered broader economic and social matters, as well as environmental factors. Conditions have been applied to the proposal requiring Cameco to undertake further surveys and research to improve knowledge of underground fauna and measures to minimise impacts on these species.

“Further surveys may identify that the species currently only found within the project area are more widespread. I have, therefore, mandated as part of this approval further survey work and investment in research,” he said.

Jacob said he had also taken on board input from public appeals against the project and advice from the departments of Water and Parks and Wildlife, and would tighten conditions on flora and vegetation, offsets and the public availability of management plans.

"The government is committed to ensuring this and the other three uranium mines approved for construction and operation in Western Australia are subject to best-practice environmental and safety standards," he said.

If they proceed, the approved uranium proposals - Vimy's Mulga Rocks, Toro Energy's revised Wiluna uranium proposal and Cameco's Kintyre and Yeelirrie projects - will create about 1 500 jobs and a potential A$1-billion-a-year export industry in Western Australia, based on prices rising to economic levels.