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Australia has suspended processing operations at the Ranger Uranium Mine in the Northern Territory following an incident involving the failure of a leach tank last Saturday, Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane said on Monday.
Macfarlane received a full briefing from Andrea Sutton, CEO of Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) shortly after notification of the incident, including on the strategy for clean-up.
A tank at the Ranger Uranium Mine holding more than a million litres of radioactive slurry burst on December 7. The accident prompted traditional land owners to describe the Ranger uranium mine as a "hillbilly operation" with too little regulation. The mine has a history of safety breaches and unions have raised concerns about maintenance standards at the 33-year-old operation.
Macfarlane highlighted the seriousness with which this matter would be dealt with.
"I have told ERA today that they cannot resume processing at Ranger until the company demonstrates the integrity of the processing plant to the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities. "
"ERA must also demonstrate that Kakadu National Park and human safety remain protected. I understand the concerns of traditional owners and local residents and can assure them that Governments will continue to ensure the mine operates to the highest standards. "
He said the Supervising Scientist has begun a full investigation of the site. Preliminary reports indicate that the spill was contained within the plant area and that there is no threat to the surrounding environment or human health outside the immediate area.
A taskforce consisting of the Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy, Northern Territory WorkSafe, the Supervising Scientist and the Department of Industry has been established. The taskforce will meet on a regular basis to progress the investigation, and provide a coordinated and consistent approach to managing the regulatory response to this incident.
