A WA parliamentary question seeks information on mining lease applications over uranium deposits, the Minister's response given the uranium mining ban, and the potential impact of new legislation on existing tenements. The Minister acknowledges the applications and states that each will be assessed on its merits, and that the legislation will seek to maintain the State's reputation as a reliable place to invest.

AnsweredQoN 750Legislative Council
Asked
20 March 2003
Portfolio
State Development

QuestionView source ↗

With regard to mining leases over known uranium deposits - (1) Does the Department of Industry and Resources have any information regarding any applications to convert leases over known uranium deposits into mining tenements? (2) If yes to (1), which mining companies have made such applications? (3) If yes to (1), how has the minister responded to such an application in light of the Government’s stated prohibition on the mining of uranium? (4) Will mining tenements covering uranium deposits granted prior to the election of the current Government be invalidated by the enacting of the proposed government legislation to ban uranium mining? Hon KEN TRAVERS

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(1) Does the Department of Industry and Resources have any information regarding any applications to convert leases over known uranium deposits into mining tenements? (2) If yes to (1), which mining companies have made such applications? (3) If yes to (1), how has the minister responded to such an application in light of the Government’s stated prohibition on the mining of uranium? (4) Will mining tenements covering uranium deposits granted prior to the election of the current Government be invalidated by the enacting of the proposed government legislation to ban uranium mining? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(2) If yes to (1), which mining companies have made such applications? (3) If yes to (1), how has the minister responded to such an application in light of the Government’s stated prohibition on the mining of uranium? (4) Will mining tenements covering uranium deposits granted prior to the election of the current Government be invalidated by the enacting of the proposed government legislation to ban uranium mining? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(3) If yes to (1), how has the minister responded to such an application in light of the Government’s stated prohibition on the mining of uranium? (4) Will mining tenements covering uranium deposits granted prior to the election of the current Government be invalidated by the enacting of the proposed government legislation to ban uranium mining? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(4) Will mining tenements covering uranium deposits granted prior to the election of the current Government be invalidated by the enacting of the proposed government legislation to ban uranium mining? Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
Hon KEN TRAVERS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(1) Yes.  Several applications for mining leases have been made by the holders of existing licences. (2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(2) Rio Tinto Exploration Pty Ltd, Australian Vanadium Ltd, Defiance Mining NL and Outokumpu Mining Australia Pty Ltd. (3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(3) Under the Mining Act 1978 the Minister for State Development is required to examine each application on its merits.  He must do this at the time the application is before him. (4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.
(4) The Government’s legislation will seek to ban the mining of uranium in a way that seeks to maintain the State’s high reputation as a reliable place to invest and do business.

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