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Angela and Pamela Exploration Prospects

Angela and Pamela are sandstone-hosted uranium prospects in the Amadeus Basin of central Australia. Angela is located 25 km south of Alice Springs and Pamela is 4 km north of Angela. The two prospects are about 6 km east of the Darwin - Adelaide railway. The prospects were discovered in the 1970s and a substantial amount of exploration was carried out at the time. However, the prospects could not be exploited at that time, due to unfavourable market conditions.

From 1990, the two prospects were the subject of an RO (Reserve From Occupation), under the Mining Act which prevented interested parties from making applications for the area. On 6 December 2006, following a review of all RO's in the Northern Territory, this RO along with 17 others were revoked, releasing the land for potential exploration. This attracted significant interest from exploration companies, with 37 Exploration Licence (EL) applications lodged. A rigorous, transparent and fair assessment of the applications was undertaken and a joint application from Cameco Australia Pty Ltd and Paladin Energy Ltd was announced as the preferred applicant in February 2008. Prior to the grant of the EL, it is a requirement of the Mining Act (MA) and Native Title Act (NTA) to publicly advertise the application and to allow a period for objections/comments (four months under NTA and two months under the MA). The application was advertised in the Northern Territory News and Koori Mail on 26 March 2008.

Exploration Licence Application- Offer of Grant:

On the 2 October 2008, pursuant to s164B of the Mining Act an offer of grant was made to Cameco Australia Pty Ltd and Paladin Energy Minerals NL with respect to their Exploration Licence Application over the Angela and Pamela Uranium Prospects. The offer was made following a rigorous review of the comments, concerns and issues raised. In accordance with section 164B of the Mining Act the applicant has 30 days in which to accept the offer or otherwise. Should the offer be accepted the Exploration Licence will only permit exploration operations. Mining operations require a separate application process under stringent Territory and Commonwealth Legislation. Further updates in respect of the offer of grant will be provided in due course.

• Flowchart for an Exploration Licence over the Angela Pamela Uranium Deposit
• Original RDPIFR Release of land for exploration application package, 2006

An EL only allows the holder the right to explore for minerals, it does not permit any mining activities. Should Cameco/Paladin wish to mine they will be required to apply for a separate mineral lease, which will be subject to various Territory and Commonwealth legislative requirements including but not limited to the Mining Act, Native Title Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and Sacred Sites Act.

The mineralised zone at both Angela and Pamela is in excess of 5.7 km long, and mineralisation may continue to the west. Higher-grade mineralisation at Angela is defined by a linear zone, 70-250 m wide within sandstone of the Undandita Member of the Late Devonian Brewer Conglomerate. After an exploration program in the early 1980s, the maximum total resource within Angela was estimated to be 12,650 t of U₃O₈, grading 0.1% U₃O₈.

For further information, refer to Lally JH and Bajwah ZU, 2006. Uranium deposits of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Geological Survey, Report 20, which can be ordered through the InfoCentre. 

Other Information Sources

Paladin Energy Limited

Cameco

Cameco Australia and Paladin Energy Joint Venture

• Angela uranium project newsletter July 2008 [PDF, 3.89MB]

Central Land Council (CLC)

The CLC is a Commonwealth statutory body operating under the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976 and are funded through the Aboriginal Benefits Reserve. They are an elected Aboriginal body which represents all Aboriginal people in the southern part of the Northern Territory.

The Australian Uranium Association was established in September 2006 as a representative body that could both articulate the national and global interest associated with Australian uranium exploration, mining and export, as well as advocating the industry's views to government and the community.

Commonwealth Dept of Resources, Energy and Tourism

• The Uranium Industry section focuses on ways to encourage and manage the development and operation of Australia’s uranium industry. They also work closely with the Department of Environment, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA); Geoscience Australia (GA); NT Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources (NT RDPIFR); Primary Industries and Resources South Australia (PIRSA), Office of the Supervising Scientist (OSS) as well as environmental and indigenous groups.

• The Uranium Industry Framework (UIF) was initiated in August 2005. The objective of the UIF is to identify opportunities for, and impediments to, the further development of the Australian uranium mining industry over the short, medium and longer term while ensuring world's best environmental, health and safety standards. The UIF has been developed in partnership with the South Australian and Northern Territory Governments, industry and other stakeholders.

NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (NRETA)

The Agency is responsible for conserving, enhancing and ensuring best possible access to, and enjoyment of, the Territory's natural and cultural assets. This includes native wildlife and habitats, renewable natural resources including water and natural landscapes.

Alice Springs water resource strategy