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re: uranium miner plans for ban end http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17001773-1248,00.html


Uranium miner plans for ban end
From: AAP

October 22, 2005


URANIUM mining and production in Queensland could become a reality, an exploration giant said, citing confidence that the state Labor Government will change its no-new-mines policy.
But the Government said it will "absolutely not" support uranium mining now or in the future because of its adverse impact on the Queensland coal industry.

Under current Labor Party policy in Queensland no new mining leases can be granted, but Perth-based Summit Resources - Australia's largest uranium explorer - believes a change in Labor Party policy on mining is likely.

Summit Resources is one of several mining companies which have invested millions of dollars in future uranium prospects across the state.

Its uranium tenements are based in Mount Isa in north-west Queensland where it has recently spent $10 million on exploration.

The group's managing director Alan Eggers said today the company was more confident than it had been for some time that a policy change would occur within the next few years.

"In the last year or so, there has been a change in public sentiment and a political shift within the Labor Party which we see as perhaps leading to a policy change and approval for us to mine," he said.

He said a change was now "much more likely" due to rising uranium prices, rising energy prices, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and environmentalist leader's support of nuclear power development.

But Queensland Mines Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the Government's position on uranium mining would not change.

"It's a big assumption by Summit Resources to think that the "overnment will be lifting its long-standing policy against uranium mining," a spokesman for the minister said.

Premier Peter Beattie's spokesman said the Government would "absolutely not" support uranium mining now or in the future because of its adverse impact on the Queensland coal industry.

"Mr Beattie would not support anything that would undermine coal, particularly uranium mining," he said.