Beverley Uranium Mine
 Processing plant of the Beverley Uranium Mine | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
  Beverley Uranium Mine Location in Australia | |
| Location | Frome Basin |
| State | South Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 30°11′08″S 139°34′44″E / 30.18556°S 139.57889°ECoordinates: 30°11′08″S 139°34′44″E / 30.18556°S 139.57889°E |
| Production | |
| Products | Uranium |
| History | |
| Opened | 2001 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Heathgate Resources Pty. Ltd. |
| Website | www.heathgateresources.com.au |
The Beverley Mine is Australia's third uranium mine and Australia's first operating in-situ recovery mine. It is located 35 km from Lake Frome at the northern end of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia and officially opened in 2001.[1] The original Beverley uranium deposit was discovered by one of Bill Siller's companies in 1969 and was named after his wife—Beverley Siller.
The mine is owned and operated by Adelaide-based company Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd.
Beverley is a paleaochannel uranium deposit. The uranium mineralisation (mainly coffinite) is hosted by loose sands in the channel of a former river. The ore bearing horizon is now at a depth of about 100 to 150m. The deposit is estimated to contain 21,000 tonnes of uranium oxide for a mine life of 15 to 30 years.[1] Uranium is extracted by in-situ leaching, involving the injection of a fluid containing sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide into the ore-bearing permeable horizon to mobilise the uranium. The fluid is then recovered and uranium is extracted at a central plant using ion-exchange. The final concentrate is trucked to Port Adelaide and then shipped to international customers.
In August 2008, Federal approval was given to Heathgate for a greater area to be accessed for mining in order for the pre-approved volume of material to be extracted from the mine.[2]
Between 1998 and 2007, Heathgate reported 57 spill incidents to Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA).[3][4]
Four Mile & Beverley North
In 2005, the Four Mile uranium deposit was discovered a few kilometres north-west of Beverley. The deposit is owned by Quasar Resources, (a 100% subsidiary of Heathgate), and Alliance Resources. Development of the deposit was approved in 2009. It is planned to do the final uranium extraction and concentrate production for Four Mile at the Beverley Plant.
The mine borders on the protected Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary that has previously been subjected to uranium mining. Following unprecedented public pressure, the South Australian government announced on 22 July 2011 that steps would be taken to ban mining and exploration in Arkaroola.[5]
In 2009, additional deposits were discovered at Beverley North. Approval was granted to mine at Beverley North in 2011.[6]
See also
- List of uranium mines
- Sandstone uranium deposits
- Uranium mining in Australia
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "FAQ's:The Mine". Heathgate Resources. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
- ↑ Sabra Lane (2008-08-28). "Garrett approves Beverley uranium mine expansion" (TRANSCRIPT). PM on ABC Local Radio. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
- ↑ Beverley Uranium Mine Spill Incident summary as reported by Heathgate Resources 1998-2003, pir.sa.gov.au
- ↑ Beverley Uranium Mine Spill Incident summary as reported by Heathgate Resources 2004-2007, pir.sa.gov.au
- ↑ "Premier Mike Rann announces permanent protection for Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary". Herald Sun. 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-10-06.
- ↑ Marsland-Smith, Dr A. "Heathgate Resources update" Slideshare.net 2013-11-26.