Mining has formed the basis of ECNT’s work since our formation in 1983 to oppose uranium mining in Kakadu National Park. Fighting for better regulation and management of mining in the Territory is in our DNA.
The Northern Territory is at the forefront of a new wave of resource extraction, being one of the key destinations in the world for a range of minerals including zinc, lead, uranium, gold, manganese, lithium, and ilmenite. Despite the intensity of resource extraction, the NT has woefully inadequate mining laws. Exploitative mining projects are fundamental to the history and politics of the Northern Territory, and special dispensation for mining companies is baked into NT legislation, from environmental regulation to land rights and Native Title.
The NT’s mining laws are not working, but for the first time in 20 years the Northern Territory Government is committed to reforming them. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix the system that produced the most toxic mine in Australia, McArthur River Mine, and ECNT is leading the charge in 2022.
In a world where environmental activists are always looking to the next big project to mobilise around, ECNT has made a commitment to work with Traditional Owners and communities to ensure that governments and mining companies are held to account for the insidious, incremental damage that results from large mining projects, sometimes long after the projects have ended and for many generations into the future.
ECNT has monitored and made submissions on a range of mines in the Territory, including:
If you are from an affected community, have any concerns or information about mining in the Territory, or would like to get involved with the campaign, feel free to contact [email protected] .