Environmental Compliance Requirements to be Observed by Active and Closed-out Uranium Mines in Northern Australia – an Update

Abstract

The current phase of uranium mining in the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia began in the late 1970's and is governed by a large number of legislative and administrative requirements. The primary responsibility for environmental regulation rests with the Northern Territory Government but the legislative framework is complex and involves agencies of the Commonwealth Government as well as the Aboriginal traditional landowners. Two of the current uranium mining projects, Ranger and Jabiluka, are surrounded by the World Heritage Kakadu National Park. Thirteen former mines are located within the Park and one former mine, Nabarlek, is outside the Park but on Aboriginal land in the same catchment area as part of the Park. For these reasons, environmental management at the operating mines has to be of the highest standard, and environmental requirements are attached to all laws and agreements controlling the operating facilities. This paper describes the spirit and rationale behind the regulations as well as the operating details and methodology of the regulatory system in place for the operating mines. It also describes the process by which the governing environmental requirements for the Ranger mine were revised for the first time since 1979, a process that took four years because of the level of consultation involved.