About the Ranger Uranium Mine
Ranger Uranium Mine is about 260 kilometres east of Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT). Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) operated the mine from 1980 until January 2021. The mine produced around 1,800 tons of uranium oxide each year.
The mine is now in full-time rehabilitation and work in some areas is well advanced. All activities are being done in consultation with the Australian and NT governments, Traditional Owners and other stakeholders.
Ranger Uranium Mine operates in an environmentally significant area. It is on Aboriginal land, surrounded by Kakadu National Park. The Mirarr people are the Traditional Owners.
Regulatory framework
The Australian and NT governments jointly regulate Ranger Uranium Mine. The NT Government regulates day-to-day activities.
Commonwealth legislation
- The Atomic Energy Act 1953 provides ownership of uranium in the NT to the Commonwealth. ERA conducts rehabilitation activities under an authority granted under section 41CA of the Act (the Rehabilitation Authority). The Rehabilitation Authority came into force on 9 January 2026, after the former section 41 authority expired.
- The Rehabilitation Requirements are the environmental protection conditions attached to the Rehabilitation Authority. These were previously known as Environmental Requirements under the former authority. The substance and wording of the requirements has not changed.
- The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 establishes the functions of the Supervising Scientist. The Supervising Scientist monitors and advises governments on protecting the environment from the effects of uranium mining activities in the NT Alligator Rivers Region.
NT legislation
The Environment Protection Act 2019 (NT) applies to all mining activities in the NT. ERA holds an NT environmental (mining) licence, as required under the Act.
Commonwealth agreements
As the Ranger Uranium Mine is on Aboriginal land, the Australian Government has an agreement with the Northern Land Council which facilitates ERA’s access to the area. This is consistent with the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth).
The government also holds a security for rehabilitating the mine under a separate agreement with ERA.
Rehabilitation and closure
ERA must rehabilitate Ranger Uranium Mine to a standard similar to the adjacent area of Kakadu National Park. This condition was imposed on the mine’s operator upon approval of the mine.
ERA ceased mining and processing uranium at the mine on 8 January 2021. Rehabilitation activities are underway. A number of stand-alone applications for several major rehabilitation activities are still required. These applications are expected to be made over the coming years.
When ERA can demonstrate it has met all Rehabilitation Requirements, the Ranger Project Area can be ‘closed out’. ERA will be released from rehabilitation obligations once the Commonwealth minister makes a declaration under the Atomic Energy Act and the NT minister cancels ERA’s licence.
Mine closure plan
ERA must submit a Mine Closure Plan (MCP) for the NT and Commonwealth resources ministers to approve each year. The MCP is the rehabilitation plan referenced in the Rehabilitation Requirements.
It describes ERA’s broad rehabilitation and closure strategy for Ranger Uranium Mine and reflects current knowledge and understanding of rehabilitation activities.
The Supervising Scientist, Northern Land Council and Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation also assess the MCP and provide advice to the ministers. The ministers must consider this advice when deciding whether to approve the MCP.
Anyone can provide feedback on the MCP to ERA, the Supervising Scientist, and the NT or Australian governments.
The MCP becomes binding and enforceable when the ministers approve it.
The ministers can approve the plan, wholly or in part, and with conditions. If the Commonwealth minister does not approve the MCP, ERA can submit an amended plan.
Closure criteria
ERA is also working with governments, the Northern Land Council and Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation to develop closure criteria. These are quantifiable measures or outcomes used to test if ERA has achieved the Rehabilitation Requirements. The Commonwealth and NT ministers must approve closure criteria.
ERA is developing closure criteria across 6 themes:
- landform
- radiation
- water and sediment
- ecosystem
- soils
- cultural.
History
Ranger Uranium Mine was Australia’s longest running uranium mine. The mine’s uranium deposit was discovered in 1969 before the NT become self-governing. Unlike most onshore mines, the Australian Government directly approved its development.
In 1975, the government commissioned the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry into the mine’s proposed development. As a result of the inquiry, the government approved the mine. Mining operations began in 1980.