![]() The AUKUS deal struck under the Morrison government would see Australia acquire nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines. And Labor will be aware of US efforts to revive its own uranium mining industry. Some elements of Labor support nuclear energy. So where does all this leave the prospect of nuclear power in Australia? And how likely is expansion of the uranium industry? The Mary Kathleen uranium mine has been shut since 1982. But nuclear-powered electricity must not come next Yes, Australia is buying a fleet of nuclear submarines. But since losing government, the Coalition has warmed to the technology. The Coalition did not pursue nuclear energy during its last nine years in government, despite Howard continuing to call for more uranium mines and investigation of domestic nuclear energy. ![]() The taskforce found it was possible to build a reactor in 10 to 15 years – assuming the public supported it and regulations were in place. In recent years, the Coalition’s strongest support for nuclear came in 2006 when then prime minister John Howard established a nuclear taskforce to examine uranium mining and processing, and the feasibility of a domestic nuclear industry. By 1984, Labor agreed to accept more uranium mines and international customers if domestic reactors did not expand beyond the Lucas Heights research facility in Sydney.Īs recently as last year, Labor’s election platform walked a similar line: no nuclear reactors or waste dumps, but yes to mining and selling uranium, with safeguards around inspection and non-proliferation. But as the Cold War heated up, the party became divided on its nuclear stance, due to concerns about weapons proliferation.īob Hawke played a key role in overcoming this anti-nuclear sentiment while as a union chief and then as Labor prime minister. It initially supported uranium mining and even the possibility of domestic uranium enrichment, necessary to produce nuclear fuel. The Whitlam government did not pursue the Jervis Bay plan. And one of his successors, John Gorton, pushed to build a major nuclear reactor at the Jervis Bay Territory in the late 1960s. Menzies even sought to possess nuclear weapons in the 1950s. The issues of uranium mining and nuclear energy surface regularly in Australia’s political debate.Īustralia’s uranium industry flourished over the many years of the Menzies government. This 1975 image shows production of yellowcake uranium concentrate in the US. The US is looking at expanding its domestic uranium production. That’s enough to provide for 75 per cent of Australia’s national energy market with zero emissions. Last year, we exported about 6,000 tonnes of uranium. It says the existing industry is one of several factors making Australia “a partner of choice for private venture capital-funded new nuclear power”.Īnd Boss Energy managing director Duncan Craib said in May the opportunities to expand Australia’s uranium mining industry are “immense” and would help decarbonise our energy sector. The council is lobbying for an expansion of uranium exports. Some nuclear proponents, such as the influential Minerals Council of Australia, are quick to point out this apparent contradiction. Without that, nuclear is wildly uncompetitiveĪustralia is unusual in being a major uranium exporter while also explicitly ruling out using nuclear power. If the opposition wants a mature discussion about nuclear energy, start with a carbon price. That includes in Queensland’s sparsely populated northwest, where Australian and Canadian mining companies are acquiring new mineral leases and quietly adding uranium to their ore inventories. This is triggering fresh uranium investment. Belgium has kept reactors from closing while Poland is planning new ones. France is planning new reactors to begin replacing its ageing and troublesome fleet of 56 reactors. Japan plans to reopen closed nuclear reactors. In March this year, refined uranium was A$86 a pound, up from A$27 a pound in late 2017.Īs countries scramble to shore up energy security, some are turning to nuclear. Russia’s war on Ukraine – and its willingness to shut off gas supplies to Europe – means uranium is in high demand. A third mine, Boss Energy’s Honeymoon project, is set to restart production. Two uranium mines operate here – BHP’s Olympic Dam and Heathgate’s Beverley facility, both in South Australia. BHP/AP Uranium is back in vogueĪustralia has the world’s largest reserves of uranium and is the world’s fourth largest uranium exporter. BHP’s Olympic Dam is one of Australia’s two remaining uranium mines.
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