Three mine policy
Encyclopedia
The three mine policy, introduced in 1984 and abandoned in 1996, was a policy of the government of Australia
to limit the number of uranium mines
in the country
to three.
, the party decided to adopt a "no new mines" policy. At the time, two uranium mines were operating, both in the Northern Territory
, Ranger
and Nabarlek
. However, this new policy left a loophole, as it permitted uranium to be mined as a by-product of other mining operations. The later exception allowed for development of the Olympic Dam mine
, located in South Australia
, as it also contained gold
and copper
.
The following year, 1983, Labor won the federal elections
and came into power for the first time since 1975.
The three mine policy was officially introduced in 1984, after the federal elections that year had confirmed Bob Hawke
of the Labor Party as Prime Minister of Australia
. The policy restricted uranium mining in Australia to three existing mines, Ranger, Nabarlek and Olympic Dam.
The policy was abandoned in 1996, after the 1996 federal election replaced the Labor Party with John Howard
's Coalition
in power. The new policy was to develop the country's uranium mining industry and uranium exports.
The Australian Labor Party changed back its policy in the 1990s to a "no new mines" policy to allow uranium mines already approved by the Coalition government to go ahead. With the opening of a fourth uranium mine in Australia in 2001, the Beverley uranium mine
, and the approval of a fifth mine, the Honeymoon uranium mine
, Labor's stand had essentially become a "five-mine policy", as Nabarlek had since been closed.
The Labor Party, however, continued its opposition to increased uranium mining until 2006, when, under the leadership of Kim Beazley
, discussions to abandon the three mine policy were initiated. The party eventually abandoned the policy in 2007, at a national conference, under the new leadership of Kevin Rudd
, but faced heavy internal criticism for it.
Individual states continued their ban on uranium mining, however, with Western Australia
lifting its six-year-old ban in 2008 after state elections
, which saw the Labor Party replaced in government by the Liberal Party
. Queensland
continues to impose a ban on uranium mining but trade unions have advocated the end of the ban in the hope of uranium mining creating more jobs.
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
to limit the number of uranium mines
Uranium mining in Australia
Radioactive ores were first extracted at Radium Hill in 1906, and Mount Painter in South Australia in the 1930s, to recover radium for medical use. Several hundred kilograms of uranium were also produced....
in the country
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to three.
History
The foundations of the three-mine policy for uranium mining were laid in 1982, when, at a conference of the Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, the party decided to adopt a "no new mines" policy. At the time, two uranium mines were operating, both in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
, Ranger
Ranger Uranium Mine
The Ranger uranium mine is surrounded by Kakadu National Park, in the Northern Territory of Australia, 230 km east of Darwin. The orebody was discovered in 1969, and the mine commenced operation in 1980, reaching full production of uranium oxide in 1981...
and Nabarlek
Nabarlek Uranium Mine
The Nabarlek Mine is a past producing uranium mine in the Northern Territory of Australia. The deposit sits within the Alligator Rivers Uranium Field approximately northeast of Jabiru. It was discovered by Queensland Mines Limited in 1970 by following up an intense airborne radiometric...
. However, this new policy left a loophole, as it permitted uranium to be mined as a by-product of other mining operations. The later exception allowed for development of the Olympic Dam mine
Olympic Dam, South Australia
Olympic Dam is a mining centre in South Australia located some 550 km NNW of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is the site of an extremely large iron oxide copper gold deposit producing copper, uranium, gold and silver. The site hosts an underground mine as well as an...
, located in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, as it also contained gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
.
The following year, 1983, Labor won the federal elections
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
and came into power for the first time since 1975.
The three mine policy was officially introduced in 1984, after the federal elections that year had confirmed Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
of the Labor Party as Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
. The policy restricted uranium mining in Australia to three existing mines, Ranger, Nabarlek and Olympic Dam.
The policy was abandoned in 1996, after the 1996 federal election replaced the Labor Party with John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
's Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
in power. The new policy was to develop the country's uranium mining industry and uranium exports.
The Australian Labor Party changed back its policy in the 1990s to a "no new mines" policy to allow uranium mines already approved by the Coalition government to go ahead. With the opening of a fourth uranium mine in Australia in 2001, the Beverley uranium mine
Beverley Uranium Mine
The Beverley Mine is Australia's third uranium mine and Australia's first operating in-situ recovery mine. It is located 35 km from Lake Frome at the northern end of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia and opened in 2001...
, and the approval of a fifth mine, the Honeymoon uranium mine
Honeymoon Uranium Mine
The Honeymoon Mine will be Australia's fourth uranium mine and Australia's second operating in-situ recovery mine. The mine is owned by Uranium One. The uranium deposit belongs to the palaeochannel type.-See also:* Uranium mining in Australia...
, Labor's stand had essentially become a "five-mine policy", as Nabarlek had since been closed.
The Labor Party, however, continued its opposition to increased uranium mining until 2006, when, under the leadership of Kim Beazley
Kim Beazley
In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....
, discussions to abandon the three mine policy were initiated. The party eventually abandoned the policy in 2007, at a national conference, under the new leadership of Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, but faced heavy internal criticism for it.
Individual states continued their ban on uranium mining, however, with Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
lifting its six-year-old ban in 2008 after state elections
Western Australian state election, 2008
A general election was held in the state of Western Australia on Saturday 6 September 2008 to elect 59 members to the Legislative Assembly and 36 members to the Legislative Council...
, which saw the Labor Party replaced in government by the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
continues to impose a ban on uranium mining but trade unions have advocated the end of the ban in the hope of uranium mining creating more jobs.
External links
- Australian Federal Government
- McKay, A.D. and Meiitis, Y., Australia's uranium resources, geology and development of deposits, publisher: AGSO-Geoscience Australia, published: 2001, ISBN 0642467161