Uranium Policy in Australia

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• Uranium Policy in Australia Embracing the Facts
  to Address the Challenges

Monika Sarder Senior Policy Research
Coordinator, The AusIMM Australias Uranium
Conference 2006, Adelaide
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Uranium The advantages of understanding context

• When I was at universitya story about
  protestor.
• Everyone wants a better world. Taking the
  initiative without having all the information can
  lead to bad outcomes.
• Policy under review Uranium Mining Processing
  and Nuclear Energy Review, GNEP
• We need fully informed debate driven by expert
  opinion
• Technical professional institute members
  involved in exploration, mining and milling
• Definition of a professional puts community and
  profession first
• Members have identified this as a key issue

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Context Global, National Local

• Globally burgeoning energy demands, GHG
  emissions
• Nationally legacy of 1980s and 90s green
  movement
• Locally NIMBY attitude eg scrapping of Pangaea
  waste disposal facility in 1999
• Roy Morgan Polling
• 60 favour the development and export of uranium
  for peaceful purposes
• 30 in favour of allowing new uranium mines to
  proceed
• Inverse relationship with peoples perception of
  risk and the scale at which this activity occurs.
• Unbundle and systematically address the risks

4
Nuclear Non Proliferation Safeguards

• Australia accounts for 22 uranium exports
• Eleven countries
• All are party to NPT and IAEA safeguards
• All have signed bilateral agreements
• comprehensive accounting standards for full life
  of all nuclear material
• Australia is an active proponents of strengthened
  safeguards Additional Protocol
• Nuclear reactors require 5 enrichment, nuclear
  weapons require 90.
• Gen IV - closed fuel cycle

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Safety for Miners and Communities

• Codes of Practice for Health, Waste and Transport
  
• Radiation
• Australia has 40 years of experience applying
  international radiation safety regulations at
  uranium mines
• Two out of three are certified under ISO 14001
• Tailings
• Normal engineering -tailings dams designed to
  retain the remaining solids and prevent any
  seepage of the liquid
• Water
• Surface run off and water management continually
  being improved building of 28 million water
  treatment plant at Ranger uranium.
• Transport
• Yellowcake - since 1988, more than 2,000
  containers shipped without incident.

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Downstream Safety Waste Management

• Materials Stewardship responsible management
  across supply chain is a concern of the industry
• Nuclear reactors producing electricity for 50
  years, 12,000 reactor years of civil operational
  experience
• Chernobyl Dangerous flawed reactor design,
  inadequately trained personnel circumstances
  have no correlations with current sophisticated
  environments.
• 1000MW plant operating discharges 27 tonnes
  annually
• Comprise less than 1 of total OECD toxic waste
• Currently, interim storage then deep geological
  disposal

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Benefits Global

• In 2004 IAEA says worlds energy use in 2030
  will be 60 higher than now
• Driven by demand from developing countries
  eg Australia 9178 kWh, PNG
  250 kWh
• On a fuel cycle basis, nuclear power stations
  produce less than 6 CO2/kWh compared to 980 g
  CO2/kWh for coal.
• Research into renewables and clean coal
  (eg geosequestration)
• China 27 new reactors by 2020 India 17 new
  reactors by 2012.
• With 40 of known low cost known energy reserves
  Australia is in a position of significant
  political, social and ethical responsibility.

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Benefits National and Local

• Economic
• Spot prices high more than trebled in last
  three years
• 5 years to mid 2005 uranium exports bring in 2
  billion
• Projected to increase as secondary sources
  exhausted
• Good for juniors
• Social (Knowledge Exporter)
• ANSTO has acted as a consultant in the
  rehabilitation mine sites
• Synroc for the immobilisation of high-level
  radioactive waste
• SILEX (Separation of Isotopes by Laser
  EXcitation) Enrichment Technology sold to GE
• Local
• Uranium mining and milling contributes
  significantly to rural economies as well as
  indigenous communities.
• Over 189 million for Ranger and 7 million for
  Jabiluka.

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Industry challenges

• Challenges
• Public perception
• Skills
• CSR
• Materials Stewardship
• Exploration
• Approvals process

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Role for The AusIMM

• Skills
• Promote knowledge transfer, networking and best
  practice dissemination.
• Access to experts.
• Education advocacy
• Communication with public
• Media
• Grass roots
• Communication with Government
• UIF Working groups, UMPNER
• Formal and informal meetings.
• CSR and Materials stewardship
• Stimulate discussion
• Promote best practice at conferences, in
  publications
• Exploration
• Advocacy around prospectivity

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Now what?

• Debate that takes place next 3-5 years will have
  a significant impact.
• Best outcomes where
• Decision making based on comprehensive knowledge
  of context
• Activities in an environment facilitates best
  practice.
• Dont chain ourselves to the wrong bulldozer!
• Congratulate Federal and SA Govt on steps they
  have taken so far
• Look forward to being a part of the process.
• Policy paper, flyer and Competent Persons Skills
  list at http//www.ausimm.com/policy/policy.asp
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• Email policy_at_ausimm.com.au