Push to fast-track uranium mines – Interview with Dr Gavin Mudd

Gavin Mudd – Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, RMIT University & Chair of the Mineral Policy Institute – on why we need to stop the push to fast-track uranium mines

Prime Minister Scott Morrison – in a bid to fast track the economy – recently announced that BHP’s proposal to expand its Olympic Dam uranium mine, in South Australia – would be fast-tracked for environmental approval. Currently, any new uranium mine – requires both state and federal government environmental approvals. But it seems the Minerals Council of Australia wants to change this. I spoke with Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at RMIT University – Dr Gavin Mudd – who has written an article in the Conservation: “Expensive, dirty and dangerous: why we must fight the push to fast-track uranium mines”.

I asked Gavin: “Why should uranium mining approval remain a federal issue?”