Mr GUNNER - 2008-10-30
An exploration licence has been granted to the Angela and Pamela deposit located south of Alice Springs. What does the exploration process involve, and does it mean that the site will be mined?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is a very important question, because the Angela and Pamela deposit was explored for the first time in 1970s and 1980s. At the time, the commodity price for uranium and other minerals was not very high, and that was why Angela and Pamela was placed under reservation from occupation, together with a number of other deposits around the Northern Territory.
After a review of the reservation from occupation process around the Territory, and decided to open and put them back on the market for exploration - Angela and Pamela being one. The exploration licence was granted to Cameco and Paladin after an exhaustive assessment of the number of applications we had from different Australian and overseas companies.
The exploration licence is for six years, and it can be renewed for two periods of two years. The exploration licence allows only exploration for minerals; it does not allow mining. I repeat: it only allows exploration for minerals, it does not allow mining. The explorers can carry on non-intrusive works such as surveying, geological mapping, and general reconnaissance. A further approval is required to carry out any disturbance including drilling and road building, and they have to put a plan in place to my department for approval before they can proceed with any disturbance, including drilling and road building.
The explorer must also pay an environmental security bond. I know there was some concern in Alice Springs about the Angela and Pamela exploration and the water table, but I would like to tell you that the work underlying the Angela and Pamela deposit in Alice Springs is the same as the that underlying the Alice Springs Brewer Industrial Estate. It is south of Rowe Creek bore field, and the groundwater system associated with Angela and Pamela is completely separate to the groundwater system that supplies Alice Springs with drinking water. There were a number of independent assessments that have confirmed that any incursion activities in Angela and Pamela will not affect the Alice Springs water supply.
We have produced a leaflet to be distributed throughout Alice Springs, explaining what exploration means in Angela and Pamela, what kind of activity will take place, and under what conditions, because there is a lot of misinformation, such as exploration means mining. No, it does not. It is not mining, it is just core drilling to retrieve some samples to be further analysed. There were assurances by hydrologists that this activity will not disturb the water table which supplies Alice Springs.
However, Madam Speaker, if the prospect is found to contain minerals, any application for a mining lease will trigger a full environmental assessment and has to comply with both Northern Territory and Commonwealth legislation.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is a very important question, because the Angela and Pamela deposit was explored for the first time in 1970s and 1980s. At the time, the commodity price for uranium and other minerals was not very high, and that was why Angela and Pamela was placed under reservation from occupation, together with a number of other deposits around the Northern Territory.
After a review of the reservation from occupation process around the Territory, and decided to open and put them back on the market for exploration - Angela and Pamela being one. The exploration licence was granted to Cameco and Paladin after an exhaustive assessment of the number of applications we had from different Australian and overseas companies.
The exploration licence is for six years, and it can be renewed for two periods of two years. The exploration licence allows only exploration for minerals; it does not allow mining. I repeat: it only allows exploration for minerals, it does not allow mining. The explorers can carry on non-intrusive works such as surveying, geological mapping, and general reconnaissance. A further approval is required to carry out any disturbance including drilling and road building, and they have to put a plan in place to my department for approval before they can proceed with any disturbance, including drilling and road building.
The explorer must also pay an environmental security bond. I know there was some concern in Alice Springs about the Angela and Pamela exploration and the water table, but I would like to tell you that the work underlying the Angela and Pamela deposit in Alice Springs is the same as the that underlying the Alice Springs Brewer Industrial Estate. It is south of Rowe Creek bore field, and the groundwater system associated with Angela and Pamela is completely separate to the groundwater system that supplies Alice Springs with drinking water. There were a number of independent assessments that have confirmed that any incursion activities in Angela and Pamela will not affect the Alice Springs water supply.
We have produced a leaflet to be distributed throughout Alice Springs, explaining what exploration means in Angela and Pamela, what kind of activity will take place, and under what conditions, because there is a lot of misinformation, such as exploration means mining. No, it does not. It is not mining, it is just core drilling to retrieve some samples to be further analysed. There were assurances by hydrologists that this activity will not disturb the water table which supplies Alice Springs.
However, Madam Speaker, if the prospect is found to contain minerals, any application for a mining lease will trigger a full environmental assessment and has to comply with both Northern Territory and Commonwealth legislation.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016