Traditional owners slam Jabiluka extension plan
Indigenous leaders have slammed a plan to extend a mineral lease over culturally sensitive land that contains Australia’s best undeveloped uranium deposit, in a row that threatens to inflame political debate over the Voice to parliament and the ban on nuclear power.
The Mirarr in the Northern Territory have expressed concern that ASX-listed Energy Resources of Australia has not listened to their long-standing opposition to mining at the famous Jabiluka uranium deposit, which is a sacred site boasting hundreds of rock art galleries.
The debate over mining at Jabiluka rose to prominence in 1998 when Midnight Oil singer Peter Garrett joined the Mirarr in an eight-month blockade that ultimately prevented extraction of the high-grade uranium.
ERA controls both the Ranger mine, since closed, and the lease to Jabiluka. Tom McKendrick
Jabiluka was never mined and ERA has since pledged to never develop the site unless it gains permission from the Mirarr, who have remained steadfastly opposed to mining there. But the Mirarr were angered by ERA’s declaration last week that it wanted to apply for an extension of the Jabiluka lease when it expires next August.
Corben Mudjandi, a Mirarr spokesman, said ERA should give up on Jabiluka.
“We do not support a longer lease at Jabiluka,” he said.
“Three generations of Mirarr, my grandfather and his brothers, my father and aunties, and now my cousins and I have said many times that Mirarr will never say yes to mining at Jabiluka. Why can’t ERA hear us?
“ERA needs to stop messing around with our cultural heritage, let the Jabiluka lease expire in August 2024, and focus on cleaning up the mess at Ranger.”
ERA said in an ASX filing last week that it would not mine the site without the Mirarr’s
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