Assessment of the Jabiluka Project : report of the Supervising Scientist to the World Heritage Committee
Johnston, A.; Prendergast, J. B.; Bridgewater, Peter
E-Publications; E-Books; PublicationNT; Supervising Scientist Report; 138
1999
Alligator Rivers Region
Main report--Appendix 2 of the Main Report. Submission to the Mission of the World Heritage Committee by some Australian Scientists ... --Attachment A. Johnston A. and Needham S. 1999. Protection of the environment near the Ranger uranium mine--Attachment B. Bureau of Meteorology 1999. Hydrometeorological analysis relevant to Jabiluka--Attachment C. Jones, R.N., Hennessy, K.J. and Abbs, D.J. 1999. Climate change analysis relevant to Jabiluka--Attachment D. Chiew, F and Wang, Q.J. 1999. Hydrological anaysis relevant to surface water storage at Jabiluka--Attachment E. Kalf, F. and Dudgeon, C. 1999. Analysis of long term groundwater dispersal of contaminants from proposed Jabiluka mine tailings repositories--Appendix 2 of Attachment E. Simulation of leaching on non-reactive and radionuclide contaminants from proposed Jabiluka silo banks.
English
Uranium mill tailings - Environmental aspects - Northern Territory - Alligator Rivers Region; Environmental impact analysis - Northern Territory - Jabiluka; Uranium mines and mining - Environmental aspects - Northern Territory - Jabiluka; Jabiluka - Environmental aspects
Environment Australia
Canberra (A.C.T.)
Supervising Scientist Report; 138
1 volume (various pagings) : illustrations, maps
application/pdf
642243417
Copyright
Environment Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/264982
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462402
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462403; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462400; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462405; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462406; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462408; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462409; https://hdl.handle.net/10070/462411
96 uranium product is a simple task. Depending on the volume of product spilt and the area over which the spill is spread, industrial vacuum cleaners, or standard earthmoving equipment could be used. Any remaining product could be readily identified using standard radiation detection equipment allowing an effectively complete decontamination of the area which would preclude any possibility of environmental impact. 7.8 Summary of findings on general environmental protection issues The conclusions of the Supervising Scientist on the above general environmental protection issues are: Protection of the environment in the Alligator Rivers Region The environmental protection regime that the Australian Government implemented for the mining of uranium at Ranger has been completely consistent with the principles of Sustainable Development and it has been demonstrated, through an extensive chemical, biological and radiological monitoring program, that no impact of significance under those principles has occurred, on either people or ecosystems of Kakadu National Park, throughout the operation of the Ranger mine. The same regulatory regime, but strengthened in some particular cases, would apply to the mining of uranium at Jabiluka. The Ranger and the Jabiluka milling alternatives The Mission report was critical of ERA for proposing to proceed with the Jabiluka Mill Alternative (JMA) option despite not being the preferred environmental option. This review, however, and the original assessment of the JMA proposal by Environment Australia have shown that, while the RMA option is preferred, the risk to the environment arising from the JMA option is minimal and, in particular, that the wetlands of Kakadu National Park will not be threatened if the project proceeds. Location and extent of the Jabiluka ore body The extent of the No 2 orebody at Jabiluka has not been fully delineated at depth in that section of the orebody to the east of the Hegge fault. If the Ranger Mill Alternative were to proceed, the mining at Jabiluka would be restricted to the currently delineated orebody and the period of mining would be about 30 years unless approval is given by the Commonwealth to mine any additional reserves following assessment under the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974. If the Jabiluka Mill Alternative proceeds, there would be no need for further assessment of a proposal to mine additional reserves under the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974. Landscape-wide analyses Wasson et al (1998) suggest that the landscape context of the mine proposal has been inadequately addressed. The Jabiluka mine will be a point impact, with some specific potential effects, which are addressed in the main body of this report and shown to be negligible. It is simply not true to suggest that the EIS and PER are inadequate because they have not considered potential impacts across the whole of Kakadu National Park. The assertion that the context modelling for the minesite need be broader than is currently the case is therefore rejected.