Rehabilitation planning for a former uranium mine site in the Northern Territory continues, with the Federal Government contributing another $10 million for the latest stage of the project.
The Rum Jungle mine – located 100km north of Darwin – closed in 1971 but remains off limits to the public and traditional owners due to its environmental problems.
No rehabilitation was done when the mine closed and the land it sits on could not be handed back to traditional owners as part of the Finniss River Land claim in case they became liable for the environmental issues.
In 2009 the Federal Government spent $18 million on rehabilitation for the Rum Jungle site and the Mines Department has estimated it will take more than $200 million to rollout a clean-up plan.
The latest round of funding is to be used to ‘finalise’ the rehabilitation strategy, undertake maintenance and engage with traditional owners.
(FEATURED IMAGE: Flickr, Scott Murray)
