Ashley Manicaros reports that the first task of the new CEO uranium producer Energy Resources of Australia could be to close its Jabiru operations, the chairman of the company has conceded.
ERA has been mining uranium at Ranger, about 200 km from Darwin, for 35 years. ERA chairman Peter Mansell said the search to replace existing chief executive Andrea Sutton, who is returning to parent company Rio Tinto, was underway and conceded closure may be the first task. If it does close, up to 200,000 tonnes of uranium could be left in the ground.
At the moment it is an internal search within Rio Tinto. They are in a hurry. They have to do it as quickly as they can but with the proper handling. Certainly it (Ranger closure) is a real possibility. It is not the only possibility. But whoever comes in will come in on the clear understanding that is a real possibility.
His personal view is there is a future for uranium. It will be a huge loss (to Australia). He can not quantify it but it is a great pity.The Australia conditions represent a country that is not economically challenged and they can make these first- world decisions. Countries which are economically challenged make more robust decisions, well thought out decision as opposed to ideological views, Mansell indicated.
Ms. Sutton said there was still no date for her departure from the role. She said discussions between key stakeholders on the future of the mine and Jabiru were underway.
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