Continued Ban on Uranium Mining in Australia

February 28, 2009

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) News

Traditional owners in the NT's Kakadu region have decided to continue a
ban on mining at the $5 billion Koongarra uranium deposit.

The French company Areva [Areva is the biggest. They supply the entire French nuclear fleet]
wants to mine 14,000 tonnes of uranium at the
site that is surrounded by Kakadu National Park.

The lucrative deposit sits three kilometres from Nourlangie Rock - a
sacred art site and major tourist attraction.

Representatives of traditional owners, the Northern Land Council, Areva
and the Territory and Federal governments met in Jabiru and Cooinda this
week to discuss the future of the deposit.

Traditional owners decided mining should not go ahead at the site.

By law the matter can be revisited, but the NLC says it has been told by
traditional owner Jeffrey Lee that he never wants to discuss the company's
proposal again.

The Land Council also says Mr Lee is still keen for the site to
incorporated into Kakadu.