Pilbara uranium mine: Minister dismisses concerns over environmental approval

Pilbara uranium mine: Minister dismisses concerns over environmental approval

Posted 7 minutes ago
PHOTO: The mine would be located in the Karlamilyi National Park. (Supplied)
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Western Australia's Environment Minister Albert Jacob has dismissed concerns about his conditional approval of a Pilbara uranium mine.
One of the world's largest uranium producers, Cameco, is proposing to build the Kintyre open-cut mine about 270 kilometres north-east of Newman.
Environmentalists have condemned the decision, citing concerns over the level of radiation monitoring required of the company throughout the Karlamilyi National Park, where the mine would be located.
Mr Jacob said Kintyre would be subject to a number of conditions, including ensuring endangered animals were not affected by radiation.
"This project has been through the most thorough level of environmental impact assessment," he said.
"It has been through more than four years of community consultation and I am extremely confident that with the conditioning that has been put around this project, that it can be constructed and operated in a way that will maintain the environmental values of this area."
However, the WA Conservation Council's Mia Pepper said the Government should ensure any animal which is consumed by traditional landowners, not just those that are endangered, also remain protected.
"In that area there is a lot of hunting and the big concern is around the radiological uptake in bush foods, which could impact public health," she said.
"Whether there's a big risk or a small risk, the point is that there should be monitoring and there should be evidence that the company can provide to the community to say that there is no risk."
Mr Jacob acknowledged the group's concerns but said they had already been evaluated.
"Those matters were looked at extensively through the appeals process," he said.
"They were all addressed in the letter which all of the appellants, including the Conservation Council, would have received in response."
Mr Jacob said the monitoring requirements for Kintyre were at a sufficient level to ensure bush tucker would not be affected by radiation.
"To the extent that bush food consumption would have to increase 100-fold, even to reach basic background [radiation] levels, so it's not even within the realm of being a concern," he said.
Traditional owners, the Martu people, signed a land-use deal with Cameco in 2012.
Kintyre now requires federal environmental approval.
The Conservation Council said environmental groups have vowed to continue to fight the project and will take their concerns to Canberra.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-...ranium-mine-approval/6286908?section=business