Can the land be restored after uranium mining?
Yes, as part of the environmental approval processes by the Environmental Protection Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), there is a requirement for mining companies to remediate and rehabilitate all mining disturbances to the approved standards which are to promote a safe, stable, non-polluting environment and support a native ecosystem. Mining operations that have involved the extraction of radioactive ores can be satisfactorily rehabilitated. DMP requires demonstration that the rehabilitation is: • Safe – for the public and wildlife • Stable – landforms do not erode or collapse • Non-polluting – the air and water quality around the site is not impacted • Self-sustaining ecosystem – the ecosystem is able to re-establish The design or waste rock dumps and tailings storage facilities can occur to ensure that any residual radioactive material is adequately contained. This includes capping of areas. As part of the appr
