Lake Maitland

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Lake Maitland
Location Mid West, Western Australia
Coordinates 27°10′S 121°05′E / 27.167°S 121.083°E / -27.167; 121.083Coordinates: 27°10′S 121°05′E / 27.167°S 121.083°E / -27.167; 121.083
Type dry, saline lake
Primary inflows surface runoff
Basin countries Australia

Lake Maitland is a dry lake approximately 100 km south east of Wiluna, in the Mid West region of Western Australia.[1][2]

The lake is the site of one of the most advanced uranium mining projects in Western Australia, the Lake Maitland project, which is pursued by Canadian company Mega Uranium and scheduled for production by 2012.[3] It is scheduled to become the state's first uranium mine.[4][5]

It is one of three advanced uranium mining projects, the other two being the Lake Way uranium project, to begin production in 2013, and the Yeelirrie uranium project, which BHP Billiton hopes to bring online by 2014. All three are located within 100 km of Wiluna.[5]

Uranium mining project

Mining in the Wiluna-Leinster area.

The 750 tonne U3O8 Lake Maitland project, pursued by Mega Uranium, and the 680 tonnes U3O8 Centipede–Lake Way project undertaken by Toro Energy, located at Lake Way.[3]

The uranium mining projects in Western Australia have attracted opposition from organisations like the Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia, which have attempted to put a hold on them before they reach active mining stage.[6]

The Lake Maitland uranium deposit was first discovered in 1972 by Asarco Australia.[7] The deposit saw limited exploration efforts in the 1980s, but progress was halted because of a dispute between the joint owners at the time, but also saw frequent changes in ownership.[8]

After some more drilling in 2005 by Redport Ltd, the company was taken over by Mega Uranium in December 2006, who continued drilling and exploration efforts in 2007-08. The future mine, while remote, benefits from existing infrastructure in the region from other mines. It is located approximately 30 km north of the Bronzewing Gold Mine.[7] A 35 percent stake in the mine is held by Japanese consortium Japan Australia Uranium Resources Development Co (JAURD). JAURD is jointly owned by Kansai Electric Power, Kyushu Electric Power and Shikoku Electric Power, who, between them, operate nuclear power plants.[9]

The mine, expected to have a mine live of ten years, is scheduled to produce 1.65 million pounds of uranium oxide a year.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Search Results - Lake Maitland Geoscience Australia website, accessed: 15 February 2011
  2. ↑ Australia - Road and 4WD Atlas, HEMA maps, page: 85
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Michael Lampard. "Uranium Outlook to 2013-14". Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics. Retrieved 2011-02-15. 
  4. ↑ Great science debates of the next decade: Spotlight on uranium perthnow.com.au, published: 1 February 2010, accessed: 15 February 2011
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Toro gets approval for uranium project The Sydney Morning Herald, published: 7 January 2010, accessed: 15 February 2011
  6. ↑ Mining Projects Anti-Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia website, accessed: 15 February 2011
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lake Maitland Mega Uranium website, accessed: 15 February 2011
  8. ↑ Lake Maitland Uranium Deposit The Sustainable Energy & Anti-Uranium Service website, accessed: 15 February 2011
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Japan's nuclear sector takes uranium stake The Age, published: 2 March 2009, accessed: 15 February 2011

External links

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