Australia has a difficult relationship with uranium mining
Despite having the largest known uranium reserves in the world (almost one-third of the world’s total reserves), and the fourth largest producer, Australia has a difficult relationship with uranium mining, with it banned in much of the country:
- in July, 2024, Australia’s government intervened to block a renewed attempt to mine under Kakadu National Park in the country’s Northern Territory, “all but ending a decades-long dispute over one of the world’s largest untapped deposits of high-grade uranium”, according to the Financial Times
- Western Australia state government has a “no uranium” condition on future mining leases. Of the four uranium projects that received State Ministerial approval under the former Liberal National Government, only one has received approval to proceed to next stage of development
- New South Wales has had a 30-year ban on uranium mining
- Queensland revoked a ban on uranium mining in 2012, only to reinstate it again three years later
The main opposition party has proposed a $211 billion taxpayer-funded nuclear power plan, with expectations this would also involve lifting the uranium mining bans — something backed by the Minerals Council of Australia.
But, even if it all went ahead, it could take between 10-15 years to develop any new mines.
