Turning Roxby Downs into the world's largest uranium mine

Written 14/05/2009

South Australia may end up with the largest uranium mine in the world, if BHP Billiton have it their way. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was released on 1 May 2009 by BHP Billiton, promoting its plans to turn the Olympic Dam (Roxby Downs) into the largest open-cut mine in the world by digging a pit of about 14.4 cubic kms (4.1x3.5x1 kms).

Export of uranium is expected to increase from an average of 4,500 tonnes per year to 19,000 tonnes per year.

The EIS is over 4,000 pages, a huge challenge for community members and groups who have just over three months to study it and comment. The last day for submissions is Friday 7 August.

Dr Jim Green from Friends of the Earth has commented on quite a few key points in the draft.

You can also contact David Noonan (d [dot] noonan [at] acfⁱonline [dot] org [dot] au) at the Australian Conservation Foundation to be sent further analyses.