There are three uranium mines currently operating in Australia - the Ranger mine in the Northern Territory and the Olympic Dam and Beverley mines in South Australia.
Australian Uranium Mine - Ranger
The Ranger mine and associated town of Jabiru is about 230 kilometres east of Darwin, surrounded by the Kakadu National Park, a major tourist attraction. This is a monsoonal part of Australia, with pronounced wet season from December to April. The first orebody is now mined out and the second one (#3) adjacent is now being mined. In the longer term the Jabiluka orebody, 20km away, may be more significant.
In 1969 the Ranger orebody was discovered by a Joint Venture of Peko Wallsend Operations Ltd (Peko) and The Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia Limited (EZ). In 1974 an agreement set up a joint venture consisting of Peko, EZ and the Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC).
In 1978, following a wide ranging public inquiry (the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry) and publication of its two reports (the Fox reports), agreement to mine was reached between the Commonwealth Government and the Northern Land Council, acting on behalf of the traditional Aboriginal land owners. The terms of the joint venture were then finalised and Ranger Uranium Mines Pty Ltd was appointed as manager of the project.
Australian Uranium Mine - Olympic Dam
The Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine, with the town of Roxby Downs, is located 560 km north of Adelaide, near the opal mining centre of Andamooka. This is an arid part of Australia, receiving only an average of only 160 mm of rain per year, and that rather unreliably. The massive deposit is underground, some 350 metres below the surface, and is the largest known uranium orebody in the world.
The deposit was discovered in 1975 by Western Mining Corporation Ltd which was looking for copper in buried sedimentary rocks. After considering geophysical data a drill hole was sunk near a small stock water dam known as Olympic Dam. It struck copper, and later drilling confirmed a resource of more than 2000 million tonnes of ore containing both copper and uranium. From 1979 the deposit was developed as a Joint Venture with British Petroleum Ltd. In 1985 it was decided to proceed with the project, and production commenced in 1988.
WMC (Olympic Dam Corporation) Pty Ltd is the management company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BHP Billiton Limited, which took over WMC Resources in mid 2005. Initially BP Minerals Ltd was a 49% partner in the enterprise, but WMC took over BP Minerals’ share in 1993 for $315 million.
Australian Uranium Mine - Beverley
The Beverley uranium deposit is 520 kilometres north of Adelaide, on the plains north-west of Lake Frome and 25 kilometres north east of the Arkaroola Resort in the northern Flinders Ranges. It is a relatively young sandstone deposit with uranium mineralisation leached from the Mount Painter region, and is the basis of Australia’s first commercial in situ leach (ISL) operation.
Beverley was discovered in 1969 by the OTP Group (Oilmin NL, Transoil NL, & Petromin NL). A draft EIS was produced in 1982 but plans to mine it by in situ leaching (ISL) were abandoned in 1983 when a newly-elected South Australian Government made it clear that mining leases would not be approved. The deposit was sold to Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd, an affiliate of General Atomics of USA, in 1990.
The deposit consists of three mineralised zones (north, central and south) in a buried palaeochannel (the Beverley aquifer) in tertiary sediments of the Frome basin. Groundwater salinity ranges from 3000 mg/L total dissolved solids in the north to 12,000 mg/L TDS in the south. The aquifer is isolated from other groundwater, notably the Great Artesian Basin about 150 metres below it and small aquifers in the Willawortina Formation above, which are used for stock watering.
30 responses so far ↓
1 United Uranium (ASX:UUL) // Jun 30, 2007 at 3:13 pm
[…] Exchange (ASX) under stock code UUL. UUL was listed on the ASX on 1 June, 2007. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
2 Oklo Uranium (ASX:OKU) // Jul 1, 2007 at 9:32 am
[…] RSS ← Australian Uranium Mines […]
3 Alara Uranium (ASX:AUQ) // Jul 1, 2007 at 9:38 am
[…] for various commodities. The company is involved with Uranium Exploration. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
4 Territory Uranium Company (ASX:TUC) // Jul 1, 2007 at 9:43 am
[…] shares at $0.20 each at listing - the shares on closed 29 June 2007 at 50 cents. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
5 Southern Uranium (SNU) // Jul 1, 2007 at 9:54 am
[…] palaeochannels and at least 10 high-priority gravity targets with IOCGU potential.Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
6 Uranium Equities (UEQ) // Jul 1, 2007 at 10:02 am
[…] in various stages of exploration. You can view their investor website here. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
7 Uranium Oil And Gas (UOG) // Jul 1, 2007 at 10:10 am
[…] Uranium Oil And Gas, Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Perth, Australia.Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
8 Uranium King (UKL) // Jul 1, 2007 at 10:23 am
[…] Lowboy projects in the state of Nevada. The company is based in Perth, Australia.Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
9 Uranium Exploration Australia (UXA) // Jul 1, 2007 at 10:31 am
[…] and the recent copper-gold discovery at Carrapateena by RMG/Teck Cominco. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
10 Eromanga Uranium (ERO) // Jul 1, 2007 at 10:36 am
[…] potential to achieve our primary objective of increasing shareholder wealth. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
11 Alliance Resources (AGS) // Jul 11, 2007 at 4:47 pm
[…] prospect on the JV tenements. Steve Johnston is the CEO of Alliance Resources. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
12 Crossland Uranium Mines (CUX) // Jul 11, 2007 at 4:57 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
13 Nova Energy (NEL) // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:06 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
14 Northern Uranium (NTU) // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:11 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
15 Globe Uranium (GBE) // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:19 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
16 Contact Uranium (CTS) // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:24 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
17 Paladin Resources (PDN) // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:45 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
18 Western Uranium (WTN) // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:39 pm
[…] more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
19 African Energy Resources (Guernsey) (AFR) // Jul 15, 2007 at 8:29 pm
[…] in Southern Africa with an emphasis on uranium, coal and coal bed methane (CBM).Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
20 Burey Gold (BYR) // Jul 15, 2007 at 8:34 pm
[…] in Gold Exploration. The company has also acquired some Uranium properties. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
21 Korab Resources (KOR) // Jul 15, 2007 at 8:40 pm
[…] grade shoots assaying up to 211 g/tone (over 6 ounces of gold per tone of ore). Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
22 Fission Energy (FIS) // Jul 15, 2007 at 8:45 pm
[…] for the discovery of palaeochannel hosted (roll front style) uranium deposits. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
23 Yellow Rock Resources (YRR) // Jul 15, 2007 at 8:59 pm
[…] The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Northbridge, Australia. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
24 Aura Energy (AEE) // Jul 15, 2007 at 9:06 pm
[…] two exploration licences that cover 115 kilometres of calcrete-bearing channels. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
25 Marathon Resources (MTN) // Aug 7, 2007 at 11:01 am
[…] is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) under stock code . Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
26 Pepinnini Minerals (PNN) // Aug 7, 2007 at 11:05 am
[…] Limited is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) under stock code PNN. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
27 Alpha Uranium (AHM) // Sep 1, 2007 at 7:23 pm
[…] Limited is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) under stock code AHM. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
28 North Australian Diamonds (NAD) // Sep 12, 2007 at 1:26 pm
[…] current shareholders to have right to participate in a Priority Entitlement Offer.Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
29 Epsilon Energy (EPS) // Sep 12, 2007 at 1:29 pm
[…] a 37.50% interest in the Company. EPS was listed on the ASX on 13 December, 2006. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
30 U308 (UTO) // Sep 12, 2007 at 1:34 pm
[…] East, Westmoreland, Maureen and Gregory. UTO was listed on the ASX on 9 May, 2006. Learn more about Uranium Mines in Australia, learn what Uranium is, read about Worldwide Uranium Deposits, study the Regulation of Uranium […]
Leave a Comment