Australia Bans Uranium Mining at Jabiluka Site

The Australian government has officially banned mining at the Jabiluka uranium deposit, located within the Kakadu National Park, honoring the requests of the Indigenous Mirarr people. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the extension of the national park to include Jabiluka, ensuring that there will be no uranium mining on the site. This decision follows decades of opposition from the Mirarr community, especially after archaeological discoveries in 2017 revealed ancient tools, highlighting the site's cultural significance. The Jabiluka deposit, one of the largest untapped high-grade uranium deposits globally, has been the subject of legal disputes and protests since the 1970s. The Northern Territory government confirmed it would not renew the mining lease for Energy Resources of Australia, a Rio Tinto-controlled company, which is set to expire next month. This move comes amid rising scrutiny of Indigenous site conservation following the 2020 destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters by Rio Tinto.