Jon Lamb, Darwin
Ranger uranium mine workers, along with the residents of Jabiru and the traditional owners of Kakadu, remain deeply concerned about the recent contamination of drinking water and water systems surrounding the mine.
The mine was forced to close on March 24 after it was revealed that workers had ingested water contaminated with uranium, acids and other chemicals. Contaminated water from the processing plant was also found in a nearby billabong two days later.
Energy Resources Australia was given the go-ahead on March 31 by the Commonwealth supervising scientist, Dr Arthur Johnston, and the Northern Territory government, to resume operations at the mine. However, permission for the processing plant to resume operations was not granted.
On March 30, 150 people attended a public meeting in Jabiru, addressed by ERA representatives and Johnston. One in five residents of Jabiru are employed at the mine. Some of the drinking water at Ranger is also supplied to local businesses and the Jabiru airport.
While Johnston claimed the level of radiation contamination that the workers "could have received resulting from the ingestion or consumption of water [was] actually very low", he failed to convince many.
Johnston also argued that there had been no contamination of Kakadu National Park and that it was safe for the traditional owners to drink water and collect food downstream from the mine.
Workers at Ranger are particularly angered over the company's failure to carry out immediate comprehensive health tests. Those who drank and showered in the contaminated water did not receive tests until five days after the incident. At least 12 workers have complained of nausea and headaches.
ERA's failure to inform the workers of exactly which chemicals were present in the contaminated water has added to concerns.
Northern Territory Trades and Labor Council spokesperson Didge McDonald told Green Left Weekly that "the workers have a right to know what chemicals and agents are in the water... People are very concerned about the long-term effects".
ERA flew from London the top medical officer working for its parent company, Rio-Tinto, to conduct checks on those contaminated.
McDonald said that the five-day wait for this examination was unacceptable. "They left the workers to hang out to dry for five days... They have been very stressed by the wait."
McDonald added that "this particular accident should have been one that was impossible to occur... It's happened before and is indicative of the safety problems at Ranger."
From Green Left Weekly, April 7, 2004.
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