The Facts
about uranium mining
in South Australia
Foreword
South Australia has been a major producer of uranium
since 1988. We are proud of our track record and our
global reputation for excellence.
The South Australian Government thoroughly
assess mining lease proposals, and through
stringent conditions, rigorously upholds the
highest standards for monitoring and safety.
The enduring strength of this State’s
leadership in uranium mining is an insistence
on world’s best practice for managing our
resources.
Our global reputation enables us to attract
the world’s leading uranium miners and
lead the country in annual production.
Uranium produced in South Australia is
equivalent to delivering CO2-free power to 20
million people.
Yet with more than 80% of Australia’s total
uranium resource, there remains considerable
scope to expand. It’s not enough that we
produce exports from the world’s largest
uranium deposit at Olympic Dam, we want to
unlock the full potential of all South Australia’s
uranium assets.
To achieve that aim we need to challenge
the perceptions of unacceptable hazards
associated with the uranium industry. Risks
associated with nuclear energy are judged
harsher than competing energy sources.
Access to information and education is
the key to challenging these perceptions.
Uranium – The Facts is just that, the facts that
should be the basis for any informed debate
about uranium and South Australia’s current
role in the global nuclear fuel cycle.
Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP,
Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy
How we regulate
The Foreign Investment Review
Board examines foreign investment
proposals to ensure the investment is
in Australia’s best interests.
The Australian regulatory framework
for the uranium industry is widely
recognised as world’s best practice.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN
REGULATION
Tenure and Regulation of
Exploration and Mining
Environment and
Public Protection
Natural Resource
Management
Worker Safety
Responsible government agencies enforce legislation regulating these areas.
Mining Act 1971
and Mining
Regulations made
under the Act
Environment
Protection Act
Radiation
Protection and
Control Act
Natural Resource
Management
and Native
Vegetation Acts
Work Health
and Safety Act
Government agencies collaborate to assess applications to ensure across the board compliance.
Mining lease and
environmental
conditions
Licence and
conditions
Licence
Licences
Monitoring
Mining Code
Rehabilitation
Liability Bonds
Radiation
Management Plan
Radioactive Waste
Management Plan
Transparent and stringent monitoring and reporting
REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT
•
•
•
•
Prevent and stop harmful activities
Request mine site rehabilitation
Levy fines
Cancel licence
• Prosecute
• Inspections for compliance
• Mandatory reporting
P1
The history of uranium
mining in South Australia
1906
1930s
1954
Uranium first discovered in
South Australia at Radium Hill.
Uranium ores mined at Radium
Hill and Mount Painter.
Radium Hill mine officially
opened.
1958-62
Uranium processing plant
operational at Port Pirie.
1972
Honeymoon uranium
deposit discovered.
1975
Olympic Dam uranium
deposit discovered.
1988
1969
Uranium discovered at Beverley.
TIME LINE OF URANIUM
EXPLORATION AND MINING
2011
2015
Insitu recovery starts at
Honeymoon uranium mine.
Four Mile uranium mine opened.
Uranium production began at
Olympic Dam, first convoy of
yellow‑cake from Olympic Dam.
2005
Four Mile uranium
deposit discovered.
2000
Mining begins at the
Beverley uranium mine.
P2
THE FACTS ABOUT URANIUM MINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Uranium mining in
South Australia today
South Australia hosts
OLYMPIC
DAM
1
is the
25
%
SINGLE
LARGEST
uranium deposit
in the world
of the world’s uranium
resources and
$370
$118
Was the value of
uranium oxide produced
and exported from
South Australia in 2014.
In royalties to
South Australians
over the past decade
(2004-2014).
million
80
%
million
of Australia’s
uranium resources.
5 APPROVED
URANIUM MINES
Australia has seven approved uranium
mines with five in South Australia.
1KG
OF NATURAL
URANIUM
Olympic Dam
has the capacity to
produce as much
energy as
Beverley
Beverley North
Four Mile
Honeymoon
1,400,000 KG
(1,400 tonnes) of coal
P3
Uranium mines in South Australia
QUEENSLAND
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA
4
1
5
2
6
7
URANIUM MINES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
8
Olympic Dam
Beverley
Beverley North
Four Mile
Honeymoon
URANIUM PROSPECTS
6. Junction Dam
7. Crocker Well
8. Samphire
URANIUM CONTAINED RESOURCE (TONNES)
Less than 1,000
1,000 to 9,999
10,000 to 24,999
25,000 to 999,999
Greater than 1000,000
P4
THE FACTS ABOUT URANIUM MINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
NEW SOUTH WALES
3
ADELAIDE
VICTORIA
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
NORTHERN TERRITORY
South Australia has vast potential for long-term production and
expansion of our uranium industry that could ensure our State’s
well‑being for decades to come.
1%
New South Wales
3%
Queensland
6%
Western Australia
10%
Northern Territory
80%
South Australia
Uranium resources by state/territory
Despite having 25% of the world’s uranium resources, South Australia produces about
8% of the world’s uranium.
Uranium exploration expenditure ($m) from 2005/06 to 2014/15
Exploration
Expenditure
($ m)
500
400
438.2
300
200
100
356.4
97.1
0
SA
QLD
WA
277
NT
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, series 8412.0 (June 2013).
5,897
TONNES
DEMAND UP
Volume of uranium
produced in South
Australia in 2014 World uranium consumption is
projected to increase to around
100,000
TONNES
by 2020
70
NEW REACTORS
The number of new nuclear reactors
under construction world-wide*
90
PLANNED REACTORS
The number of planned new nuclear
reactors world-wide*
*as of the end of 2014 and reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency
P5
How are mining leases approved?
Under the Mining Act 1971 and the Mining Regulations 2011,
approval will only be granted once the Minister is satisfied that all
risks to human health, the environment, other land users and our
precious water resources will be successfully managed.
NO URANIUM
EXPLORATION OR
MINING IS ALLOWED
WITHOUT RIGOROUS
TECHNICAL
ASSESSMENT.
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT IS
ESSENTIAL
Applicants must engage
with landowners and
other stakeholders before
activity will be approved.
FEDERAL AND STATE
SAFETY AUTHORITIES
ENSURE WORKER AND
PUBLIC SAFETY.
P6
THE FACTS ABOUT URANIUM MINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Environmental impacts and protection
of our important water resources –
given primary consideration in lease
assessment process.
The assessment process
Mineral exploration licence granted
if determined that applicant has
financial and technical capabilities
to be compliant.
Exploration program for
environment protection and
rehabilitation (PEPR) approved.
Exploration can commence.
Uranium exploration underway.
IF there is a discovery, the process
continues.
Uranium mine proposal triggers
Commonwealth Environment,
Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation (EPBC) Act
assessment and approval.
Mining Lease proposal drafted.
Considers environmental, social
and economic impacts and benefits
of the proposed mining operations.
Company undertakes
investigations into the potential
for a mining operation, including
feasibility studies.
The Minister undertakes
extensive consultation with relevant
stakeholders including government,
authorities (federal, state and local), land
owners and general public.
Applicant responds to
public submissions.
Mining Lease proposal
lodged with Government.
NO
Mining Lease proposal including
public submissions and applicant’s
response assessed by Government
technical experts.
Mining lease granted
with strict conditions
The detailed operating plan
– Program for Environment Protection
and Rehabilitation (PEPR) – is prepared.
Government technical experts
assess PEPR, including detailed risk
mitigation and control measures,
and mine closure plans.
NO
Risk management and
control measures considered
appropriate and PEPR approved.
Mining Lease Granted
YES
Transparent monitoring
and reporting, including
strict uranium transport
controls.
YES
Government provides
approval to commence
activities.
P7
How is uranium mined
and transported?
In South Australia, uranium is mined from underground or by the
In Situ Recovery (ISR) mining process.
The Olympic Dam mine uses the UNDERGROUND mining method – called sublevel open stoping
Outcrop
Overburden
Adit
Vein
Drift
Air shaft
Hanging wall
Raise
Footwall
Stope
W
in
ze
Shaft
Sump
Beverley, Four Mile and Honeymoon mines use the In Situ Recovery (ISR) mining method.
Uranium extraction columns
Laboratory
Thickeners
Yellowcake drying
and packaging
Control room
Power station
Shipping containers
Workshop
Uranium recovery columns
Extraction filters
Evaporation ponds
Reagent storage
Well house
Trunk lines
Production
monitor well
Shoestring
sands, clays
and gravels
Overlying
monitor well
KEY
Injection well
Extraction well
Monitor well
Screened interval
Injected solution
Uranium enriched
solution
Production
monitor well
Uranium
In Situ Leaching at Beverly mine in South Australia. Source Heathgate Resources.
P8
THE FACTS ABOUT URANIUM MINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Transport of uranium is
stringently regulated.
AT THE MINE
YELLOWCAKE is packed
into 200L steel drums by
trained workers wearing
breathing apparatus and
other safety gear.
Uranium ore is
processed to make
uranium oxide
concentrate (UOC), ‘YELLOWCAKE’
The drums are carefully tied down with kevlar
straps and packed into shipping containers
that are LOCKED, SEALED and SECURED at
the mine site.
Every year around 50 SHIPMENTS of 500
CONTAINERS of Australian uranium are safely
transported by road and rail to ports in Adelaide
and Darwin where they are shipped.
3
DECADES
of transporting
uranium
* To end June 2014
No
movement of
uranium without
government
approval
No
harm to public
health or the
environment
The containers are LOCKED and
NOT OPENED, unless for official
inspections, until they reach their
overseas destination.
P9
How is South Australian
uranium used?
100
%
of the Uranium mined
in South Australia is
exported overseas
4
9
10
2
1
11
6
5
7
8
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
3
Belgium
Canada
China
Finland
France
Japan
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States
5,897
South Australia exports
enough URANIUM to power
tonnes in 2014
20
77
%
MILLION
HOMES
P 10
Over three quarters of Australia’s
total URANIUM OXIDE production.
THE FACTS ABOUT URANIUM MINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Enough URANIUM
OXIDE in a year
to power 26
1-Gigawatt (GW)
nuclear reactors
Is uranium safe?
RIVERS
OCEANS
EARTH’S CRUST
Uranium is
NATURALLY
OCCURRING
and is found in:
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT HAS
AGREEMENTS IN PLACE SO AUSTRALIAN
URANIUM IS SOLD ONLY TO COUNTRIES
FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES.
URANIUM USES:
ELECTRICITY
PRODUCTION
Australian uranium is
used for generating
emissions-free electricity.
MEDICAL
TREATMENT
AND RESEARCH
MANUFACTURING
P 11
“This State has a pivotal
opportunity to responsibly
supply the world with uranium for
peaceful purposes in a way that
can generate economy-boosting
employment and investment for
generations to come.”
Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP,
Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy
Department of State Development
Level 4, 11 Waymouth Street
Adelaide, South Australia 5000
GPO BOX 320
Adelaide, SA 5001
T +61 8 8226 3821
E [email protected]
www.statedevelopment.sa.gov.au/thefacts