Western Australia’s resurgent uranium industry has been encouraged by the State Government’s willingness to consult face-to-face on the development of a dynamic modern-era uranium mining industry in WA, according to resources specialist, Minter Ellison Lawyers. The view emerged from an industry workshop in Perth organised by Minter Ellison as a forum between the industry and the pro-uranium mining Barnett Government elected in Western Australia late last year. During discussion, it emerged that an optimal way to contribute to the development of the industry and community views on uranium, is to submit concrete proposals to government regarding the way forward, rather than speculating on the structure of prospective uranium projects.

The forum was attended by more than 40 of the State’s key uranium explorers and developers as well as WA Mines and Petroleum Minister, Hon Norman Moore and key resources department heads. “Some issues still remain with the current Federal and State regulatory structures applying to uranium development in this and other states,” Minter Ellison Senior Associate, Stephanie Rowland, said in a presentation to the forum. “These include that both State and Federal Governments play an active role in the environmental assessments, resulting in a range of government agencies having an active role. This can create overlap and replication of work by both government and companies involved in the uranium sector.” she said.

Rowland said that the renewed interest in the sector would prompt a natural and parallel outpouring of community concerns, of which much of the current sentiment and misunderstanding had been built up over decades. “It would be amiss for the industry to underestimate this community concern about the mining and export of uranium as it remains strong – and – must in part be managed by the rapidly evolving and relevant regulatory umbrella,” Rowland said.

“One of the critical elements to ease such public angst is for the new WA uranium industry to adhere to, be transparent to, and accountable for, a strict regime of meeting Government guidelines that all uranium exported from Australia is exported under strict International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.” she Rowland said.