CALL FOR A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO THE IMPACTS OF URANIUM MINING ON SA's WATER RESOURCES

We call on the South Australian Government to initiate an Independent Public Inquiry into the uranium mining industry's depletion and pollution of the state's water resources. Adverse impacts on water resources are all too apparent at South Australia's existing uranium mines and these problems will be exacerbated if the industry expands.

Olympic Dam uranium/copper mine

The Olympic Dam mine was built and operates on the lands of the Kokatha people. The mine's consumption of about 35 million litres of Great Artesian Basin water,  drawn from Arabunna land, has destroyed some of the precious Mound Springs and adversely impacted on others. These unique habitats support rare and delicate micro flora and fauna, some species of which are unique to a particular Mound Spring.

Also controversial is the arrangement whereby BHP Billiton pays nothing for its massive water take for the Olympic Dam mine despite its record $17.7 billion profit in 2007-08. The mine enjoys indefensible legal favours, with the Roxby Downs Indenture Act giving the mine a raft of exemptions from the SA Natural Resources Act 2004 (including water management issues), the Aboriginal Heritage Act and the Environment Protection Act.

Another problem at Olympic Dam concerns the liquid tailings ponds. In 2005 it was revealed that over 100 bird deaths were recorded in a four-day period - the birds had drunk liquid tailings waste from the mine. Ongoing leaks and seepage from tailings ponds are a further concern.

For the proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam mine, BHP Billiton proposes continuing with its unsustainable water take from the Great Artesian Basin (currently limited to 42 million litres daily) and building a desalination plant in the Upper Spencer Gulf to provide an additional 120 million litres daily. The proposed desalination plant has raised concerns over its impacts on marine species and fishing industries – in particular from the discharge of brine. The Upper Spencer Gulf is a low flushing fragile marine environment entirely unsuited to siting a desalination plant and BHP Billiton’s preferred site at Port Bonython is the breeding ground of the charismatic Giant Australian Cuttle Fish.

In-situ leach uranium mining

In-situ leach (ISL) uranium mining is used at the Beverley uranium mine, on Adnyamathanha land, and is the mining method proposed for use at other SA mines including Oban, Beverley Four Mile and Honeymoon. ISL involves pumping acid into an aquifer. This dissolves the uranium ore and other heavy metals and the solution is then pumped back to the surface. The uranium is separated at the surface. The liquid radioactive waste – containing radioactive particles, heavy metals and acid – is simply dumped in groundwater. From being inert and immobile in the ore body, the radionuclides and heavy metals are now bioavailable and mobile in the aquifer.

Proponents of ISL mining claim that 'attenuation' will occur over time - that the groundwater will return to its pre-mining state. However there is considerable scientific uncertainty about the future of ISL-polluted groundwater and uncertainty about the timeframe for attenuation if it does occur. The 2003 Senate References and Legislation Committee report into the regulation of uranium mining in Australia recommended a prohibition against discharge of radioactive liquid mine waste to groundwater and ongoing, regular independent monitoring of environmental impacts. The SA government subsequently commissioned a study which had all the hallmarks of a whitewash yet still acknowledged that attenuation is "not proven" and could only cite a period of "years to decades" for it to occur.

Another feature of ISL mining is surface contamination from spills and leaks of radioactive solutions. There have been several dozen spills at Beverley. such as the spill of 62,000 litres of contaminated water in January 2002 after a pipe burst, and the spill of 15,000 litres of contaminated water in May 2002.

Nuclear Power

Finally, it should be noted that water depletion and pollution problems occur at other stages of the nuclear fuel chain. Nuclear power plants consume large amounts of water –35-65 million litres daily. Indeed nuclear power is the thirstiest of all energy sources. A December 2006 report by the Commonwealth Department of Parliamentary Services states: "Per megawatt existing nuclear power stations use and consume more water than power stations using other fuel sources. Depending on the cooling technology utilised, the water requirements for a nuclear power station can vary between 20 to 83 per cent more than for other power stations."

Global warming and water shortages are likely to exacerbate problems experienced by the nuclear power industry during heatwaves in recent years. Nuclear power plants in several countries, including France and the US, have had to operate at reduced capacity, or to shut down temporarily, because of reduced water supply or to avoid breaching regulations limiting the heat of expelled water.

Signed by the following members of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance national committee:

Donna Jackson (Larrakia Nation)

Martha Watts (Arabunna)

Peter Watts (Arabunna)

Jillian Marsh (Adnyamathanha)

Sue Coleman Haseldine (Kokatha Mula)

Nat Wasley

Dave Sweeney

Jim Green

Justin Tutty

Formed in 1997, the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (formerly the Alliance Against Uranium) brings together Aboriginal custodians with representatives from environmental, medical and public health organisations concerned about existing or proposed nuclear developments in Australia, particularly on Aboriginal homelands. The Alliance helped to build the successful campaign to stop the Jabiluka uranium mine in the Northern Territory, and more recently, a proposed national nuclear waste dump in South Australia. More information & contact details: <www.foe.org.au/anti-nuclear/issues/oz/alliance>.