WA government has no plans to change uranium mining ban

The West Australian government has deemed it unlikely they will overturn the ban on uranium mining. Western Australia and the Northern Territory are among the regions containing the country's most substantial untapped deposits of uranium. Industry representatives suggest that the recent trade agreement enabling uranium exports to India presents a considerable economic opportunity, contingent on the lift of the ban.

The West Australian government intends to uphold its prohibition on uranium mining, notwithstanding rising global demand and an important export deal with India. The state's uranium policy, introduced under the previous Labor administration, permitted projects approved by the prior Liberal-National government to proceed, yet prohibited any others.

None of those projects have reached the production stage, with only Deep Yellow's Mulga Rock, situated around 850 kilometres northeast of Perth, still meeting the government's criteria. The newly appointed Mines Minister, Daniel Pastorelli, declared at the Diggers and Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie that he had no plans to alter the policy.

This leaves South Australia as the only state actively producing and exporting uranium. The decision to maintain the ban stems from a combination of domestic political opposition and a uranium price that declined to as low as $US21/pound following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Conservation organizations argue that the potential environmental repercussions surpass any economic advantages.

Mia Pepper, a nuclear-free campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, stated that historical evidence demonstrated that uranium could not be mined safely in Australia. The recent agreement with the Modi government permitting uranium exports to India has left the industry optimistic about potential changes in Western Australia.

Marnie Finlayson, the managing director of DevEX Resources, which is prospecting for uranium in the Northern Territory, and one of the few female presenters at this year's Diggers and Dealers, expressed confidence that uranium mining would create jobs and stimulate economic growth. Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Nagesh Singh, expressed a willingness to welcome a decision by the Western Australian government to lift the ban, as India is anticipated to emerge as a significant market for uranium supplies.

Despite the opposition's pledge to repeal the ban if elected in the future, the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies emphasized the need to shift focus from local politics and recognize that uranium mining can be conducted safely in Australia. WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief executive Aaron Morey pointed out that uranium prices had reached a level where mining in Western Australia would be economically viable.

He highlighted the rising demand for uranium, driven by the growing interest in nuclear energy due to its clean, efficient, and reliable nature. Morey also emphasized the significant commercial interest in developing Western Australia's world-class uranium deposits and the vital role that uranium plays as an input for nuclear energy in various countries.