Uranium Mining Regulation and Legacy Site Remediation Funding in Australia's Northern Territory

The regulation of uranium mining in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) is a complex system controlled primarily under the NT Mining Management Act but with a number of additional processes and procedures involving the major stakeholders in a consultative manner, some of which are site specific. The process has developed over many years to the present state where it may be considered a mature and efficient system. The paper briefly updates the present state of regulation and recent developments at the Ranger Uranium Mine before describing the work under way to deal with uranium mine legacy sites in the NT. The paper also details a recent change to the legislation which is designed to fund a legacy mines unit and the proposed programme of works for that unit, including work in relation to former uranium mine sites. (author)