The Australian Uranium Association was an Australian
industry trade group
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partici ...
which represented companies involved in
uranium
Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
exploration,
mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...
and export. It operated from September 2006 until 2013, after which its responsibilities were absorbed by the
Minerals Council of Australia.
History
From 2006 to 2013 the Australian Uranium Association acted as a national advocate for uranium mining and export and commissioned research and polling on uranium mining issues. Its predecessor, the
Uranium Information Centre
{{Unreferenced, date=December 2021
The Uranium Information Centre (UIC) was an Australian organisation primarily concerned with increasing the public understanding of uranium mining and nuclear electricity generation.
Founded in 1978, the Centr ...
, was replaced by the Association in the same year of the AUA's foundation. The chairman of the Association was Rob Atkinson, Chief Executive Officer of mining company
Energy Resources of Australia
Energy Resources of Australia Ltd () is a public company based in Australia. It is a subsidiary of the Rio Tinto Group which as of 2021 owns 86.3% of the company. The remainder is publicly held and traded on the Australian Securities Exchange. ...
(ERA) and its chief executive was
Michael Angwin. Responsibility for the uranium portfolio within the Minerals Council of Australia was passed to
Daniel Zavattiero, a former senior executive with
BHP Billiton
BHP Group Limited (formerly known as BHP Billiton) is an Australian multinational mining, metals, natural gas petroleum public company that is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded ...
's uranium business.
Membership
The Association had two full members (the mining companies
BHP Billiton
BHP Group Limited (formerly known as BHP Billiton) is an Australian multinational mining, metals, natural gas petroleum public company that is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company was founded ...
and ERA), and 29 participating and associate members. Associates comprised all of Australia's uranium mining and export firms plus a number of explorers and project developers working to take the next set of uranium mines into production.
Nuclear industrial advocacy
The Association supported increased exports of Australian uranium for power generation purposes, arguing that
nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced ...
produces virtually no
greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities strengthen the greenhouse effect, contributing to climate change. Most is carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas. The largest emitters include coal in China and ...
,
is a cheap alternative to coal and oil-based energy production and that if Australia becomes a major player in uranium exports it would be in a position to ensure adherence to international nuclear safety standards and the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation ...
.
The Association maintained that Australia has sufficient uranium to cater for one third of worldwide demand, and viewed restrictions on new mines as an issue affecting the nation's international competitiveness.
See also
*
Anti-nuclear movement in Australia
Nuclear weapons testing, uranium mining and export, and nuclear power have often been the subject of public debate in Australia, and the anti-nuclear movement in Australia has a long history. Its origins date back to the 1972–1973 debate ove ...
*
Gavin Mudd
*
List of inquiries into uranium mining in Australia
*
Nuclear industry in South Australia
*
Uranium mining in Australia
Radioactive ores were first extracted in South Australia at Radium Hill in 1906 and Mount Painter in 1911. 2,000 tons of ore were treated to recover radium for medical use. Several hundred kilograms of uranium were also produced for use in ce ...
*
Uranium mining in Kakadu National Park
References
External links
Australian Uranium AssociationWorld Nuclear AssociationAustralian Nuclear Free Alliance
{{Energy in Australia
Uranium mining in Australia
Nuclear energy in Australia
Mining organisations in Australia