Blanket ban on uranium mining the wrong way to go, QRC Chief Executive says

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Image credit: www.qrc.org.au

The Palaszczuk Government’s decision to reinstate the ban on uranium mining throughout Queensland has once again stirred controversies in the state’s resource sector, with Queensland’s Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Michael Roche branding the move as “disappointing but not surprising”.

Image credit: www.qrc.org.au

In a media release issued on Sunday, Mr Roche urged the Government to consult with QRC and uranium miners before making a final decision on the matter.

“Before rushing to a decision, we would ask the government to consult the QRC and companies with uranium interests on its intentions concerning uranium,” Mr Roche said.

“This new Labor government has the opportunity to take advantage of the excellent work undertaken by the Department of Natural Resources and Mines in the past few years to develop a world-leading regulatory framework for assessing and overseeing uranium mining projects.”

Adertisement

He also called on the Government to abandon the blanket ban approach and judge each project on its merits and against the regulatory framework for uranium.

“Reimposition of a blanket ban on uranium mining will come as a particular disappointment to the people of north-west Queensland who rightly see uranium mining as a valuable new jobs generator for the region,” Mr Roche said.

“An option open to the government is only to consider uranium mining projects in the north west of the state where some of the most valuable uranium deposits are located.”