'Uranium Company Targets Wildlife Sanctuary' - Advertiser 20/09/07

Also posted as 'Mine Plan threatens Wallabies'

Author: CARA JENKIN
Publication: The Advertiser (015,Thu 20 Sep 2007)
Edition: 1 - State

URANIUM will be mined at a Flinders Ranges wildlife sanctuary if a project by mining company Marathon Resources is approved.

The company has lodged an application for environmental assessment with the Federal Environment Department to mine 43 million tonnes of uranium oxide at Arkaroola Sanctuary.

Arkaroola Sanctuary is a 610sq km area on a pastoral lease the leaseholders have dedicated to conservation and eco-tourism.

The land is home to the threatened yellow-footed rock wallaby and reptile and plant species in danger of extinction. Arkaroola was granted sanctuary status by the State Government in 1996. This does not ban mining.

Marathon Resources believes the Mt Gee area in the sanctuary is one of Australia's largest undeveloped uranium deposits. It says it will minimise the environmental impact.

Australian Conservation Foundation nuclear-free campaigner David Noonan said any mining in the sanctuary would be disastrous.

He said the habitat would be damaged by such infrastructure as haulage roads as well as the mine itself. Radioactive waste and radiation also would be damaging.

``The Premier set a precedent to prevent the same company from undertaking exploration work when he thought it would affect Fleurieu Peninsula,'' he said.

A spokesman for Mineral Resources Development Minister Paul Holloway said it had been made clear to the company any proposal must not ``impact on the environment, heritage and tourism value of the area''.

Bill Doyle's note:

Clearly, the only way not to "impact on the environment, heritage and tourism value of the area" is not to allow the mine to be established in the first place.

This is so blatantly obvious that one wonders why Mr. Holloway goes through the absurd and tiresome charade of pretending that it might be possible to have a cake and eat it too!

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Mine plan threatens wallabies

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY in response to this? - Write Now to the Advertiser reminding them that the only way to guarantee the values of the Sanctuary are preserved is to prevent the mine from being established in the first place! You can post a response online here by following the link above and scrolling to the bottom of the page, or send a letter to the Advertiser via the link in the drop down menu under 'Opinion' in the navigation bar.

My letter to the Advertiser in response to this article. Feel free to use this as a basis of your won letter - but please don't simply copy it!:

Regarding Marathon Resources proposed mine in the Arkaroola Sanctuary. (ADV 20/09/07)

Your arttcile states "[a] spokesman for Mineral Resources Development Minister Paul Holloway said it had been made clear to the company any proposal must not "impact on the environment, heritage and tourism value of the area"."

Clearly the only way to guarantee the preservation of the magnificent Arkaroola Sanctuary is not to allow the establishment of this mine in the first place!

Why has the State Government not simply rules this project out, as it did when the same company attempted to prospect for a Uranium mine on the Fleurieu Peninsula last year?

No hypothetical 'pot of gold' - or Uranium - is worth the destruction of any portion of this wonderful area.