ERA assesses effects of Ranger flooding

02 April 2007

[ERA, 2 April] Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has assessed the effects that the flooding at its Ranger uranium mine and processing plant in February will have on its production and shipping schedules. The company said that the shutdown and restart of the processing plant resulted in the loss of some 300 tonnes of uranium oxide production. Also, flooding in the mine will restrict access to ore in the second half of 2007 and into 2008. This, ERA said, would have an impact on production in the second half of 2007. Production from Ranger in 2007 is expected to be similar to 2006 (4748 tonnes U3O8), while production in 2008 is likely to be 25-35% lower than 2006. Sales for 2007 and 2008 are expected to be in line with production. Almost 85 cm of rain fell on Ranger, in Australia's Northern Territory, between 27 February and 4 March. ERA reported that mining operations at Ranger stopped on 27 February, as is normal during high rainfall, and the processing plant was shut down the following day. Operations were restarted in the mine on 7 March and in the processing plant on 12 March.

Further information

Energy Resources of Australia

WNA's Australia's Uranium and Who Buys It information paper
WNA's Environmental Aspects of Uranium Mining information paper

WNN: Heavy rain stops operations at Ranger

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