Barrier Daily Truth

Radium Hill revisited

Thursday, 16th February, 2012

HILLS OF PROMISE: Geological expert Trevor Dart surveys the new land of promise for a whole new mining sector around Broken Hill.

By Paula Doran

Opinion among politicians and the mining fraternity that Broken Hill will host a new wave of uranium exploration is not a surprise to geo-enthusiast Trevor Dart.

The science teacher and geology expert, whose forefathers racked up decades’ worth of underground foraging in the North Mine, says there are known uranium deposits within a 100 kilometre radius of the Silver City - and now that the long-time ban has been lifted on exploration, a new chapter in the region’s history is about to unfold.

He agrees that uranium deposits could further develop the area’s prosperity and says there were known deposits on the surface of hill country to the west of the city in the Thackaringa Hills and in the basement rocks underneath the Mundi Mundi Plains.

The nation’s first uranium mine was at Radium Hill, west of the city in SA. It closed down in 1961 but was once a bustling community of up to 1000 people who helped extract almost one million tonnes of davidite-bearing ore.

“Broken Hill is at the bottom corner of what’s known as the Curnamona Craton which connects through to areas like Arkaroola and the Beverley Uranium Mine,” says Dart.

“I think now that the ban has been lifted it will only be a matter of time before exploration brings results in this region.

“Certainly deposits have been overlooked in the past because of the ban.

“We’ve had a lot of exploration companies chasing another Broken Hill, looking for the traditional lead, zinc and copper. It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for uranium.”

Local geologists have expressing those same sentiments for years.

And with companies like Uranium One already in production north of Cockburn at their Honeymoon Mine, as well as Marmota Energy showing results of significant ore deposits just east of Honeymoon, the infrastructure and the knowledge is already edging close to pick up the opportunity that’s been handed to them this week by the NSW Government.