Desert demonstrators targets Roxby Downs mine

Around 400 protestorsdressed as zombies and pixies outside BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam site insistthey’re deadly serious about thwarting a planned$30 billion expansion.

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They may be clad in rags and face-paint, but around 400 protestors dressed as zombies and pixies outside BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam site insist they're deadly serious about stopping mine production and thwarting a planned $30 billion expansion.

Anti-nuclear protestors say their desert demonstration has attracted the world's attention. “Uranium from the Olympic Dam was in the Fukushima reactors, so it's a really poignant time to have a national debate about this issue,” says protest organiser Tully Starr.

But while the protestors may claim a PR victory, their stated aim appears certainly futile.

Mine operator BHP- Billiton says the action has not affected its operations, although some contractors have chosen to stand down workers for the duration of the protest.

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1 min read

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By Karen Ashford

Source: SBS


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