SOURCE: PAYDIRT

DATE: APRIL 1997

AUSSIE ENVIRONMENTALISTS FEAR URANIUM MINING

Aussie environmentalists fear uranium mining

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) The uranium mining industry in Australia is reportedly set to soar with up to 10 mines being planned to open over the next decade, placing environmentalist groups on the attack.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Wednesday that four new mines may open within three years, and at least six more are being "actively reviewed" after being stalled by the previous Labor government's three mine policy.

The newspaper reported two existing mines the Ranger in the Northern Territory and the Olympic Dam in South Australia are undergoing major expansion aimed at increasing production.

Environmental groups warned they would fight "mine-by-mine" against the expansion, with Australian Conservation Foundation's national campaigns director Michael Krockenberger saying the trend was "extremely worrying."

"It's a sheer impossibility that Australia can open 10 new mines and still find the markets. Once a handful have been developed,' the market will be close to saturation," he said.

Krockenberger said his group is already working with the Aboriginal community in its vigorous campaign against the Jabiluka mine in the Northern Territory.

Even without the new mines, Australia provides 11 percent of the world's uranium, the newspaper said.

Exports averaged about 4,000 metric tons a year since 1981 but have climbed sharply in recent years and are expected to double by 2001, it said.