The Australian Foreign Minister has confirmed that China has asked for permission to conduct uranium exploration and mining in the country to fuel its growing nuclear power industry, AFP reported. Alexander Downer said the government had no objections to the plan, provided Beijing first signed a nuclear safeguard agreement to confirm the uranium would not be put to military use. Australia has about 40 percent of the world's known uranium reserves but has only three operating uranium mines and no nuclear power industry of its own. In 2004, it exported 9,648 tons of uranium.
Categories