Kakadu's traditional owners say they are fundamentally opposed to the development of the Jabiluka uranium deposit and will not support operations at the Ranger mine beyond 2021.
Energy Resources of Australia announced on Thursday night it was putting on hold feasibility studies to mine the Ranger 3 Deeps underground deposit because of low global uranium prices.
ERA also said that for the project to proceed, it would need to extend its operations beyond the present authority, which expires in 2021, and it would conserve funds until it knows the outcome of talks with traditional owners and the federal government about a possible licence extension.
But parent company Rio Tinto has completely withdrawn its support for 3 Deeps, and Gundjeihmi Corporation, which acts for the Mirarr traditional owners, has knocked any suggestion of an extension on its head.
"As things stand today, we will not support any extended term of mining at Ranger beyond 2021 ... because of our experience of 30 years of environmental and cultural impacts at Ranger, and because in our talks with Rio Tinto and the Australian government we have been given no guarantee that Ranger will be the last uranium mine in Kakadu," Gundjeihmi chief executive officer Justin O'Brien said on Friday.
He said the Mirarr wanted to ensure the permanent protection of Kakadu, and called on ERA to produce a comprehensive plan for the clean-up of the site, which must be reintegrated into the surrounding national park by 2026.
This also applies to the Jabiluka uranium deposit, for which ERA holds title but has agreed not to develop without the consent of traditional owners.
"The Mirarr remain fundamentally opposed to Jabiluka's development; that opposition is inter-generational; we are concerned about the lack of adequate planning for Jabiluka's final rehabilitation," Mr O'Brien said.
The manager of the Jabiru Golf Club, who wished to remain unnamed, said much of the 2000-strong town was dependent on the mine and the impact would be felt once operations cease.
"I think the town will suffer ... we are going to notice it big time," she said.
"I get why they have chosen not to do it but that's a lot of (lost) revenue for the town."
She questioned whether the local school would be appropriately staffed, and said if stores closed down residents and people living on outstations would have to travel more than two hours to Humpty Doo to do their shopping.
Other residents said the town would struggle during the wet season from November to March, when roads can be flooded and tourist numbers drop.
"If we didn't have tourists coming in, we couldn't operate. There's no way we could do it," said Michael Brown, owner of The Borders Store.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, was sceptical about traditional owners' resistance to developing Jabiluka, as ERA pays substantial royalties to the Mirarr.
"Just give them a couple of years when the older ones die and the younger ones will want the money," she said.
WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O'Gorman said the decision not to move ahead with the mine was not only a victory for Australia's environment, but also important for further economic empowerment of indigenous communities.
"Now that the mine will not go ahead, WWF looks forward to ERA and Rio Tinto accelerating the rehabilitation program, ensuring that it results in the full reinstatement of the internationally recognised outstanding natural and cultural values of this important site," he said.
Share
