Moves have been made toward ending the uranium industry in Kakadu.

Last week, ERA confirmed it had formalised a $100 million credit deal with parent company Rio Tinto to provide extra certainty and capacity for the rehabilitation of the Ranger mine site.

The credit deal, described by ERA as ‘prudent, appropriate and in the best interests of all shareholders,’ is predicated on no further uranium mining at Ranger.

All mining and mineral processing at Ranger is required to end by early January 2021 and ERA is obliged to ensure the comprehensive rehabilitation of the mine site and surrounds.

This rehabilitation is required to be of a very high standard - suitable for the former Ranger mine site to be formally included into the surrounding Kakadu World Heritage region.

Environment groups will attend an ERA annual meeting in Darwin this week to ask questions of ERA about the future rehabilitation of the site.

“There are massive challenges facing ERA and Rio Tinto at Ranger and they will be long judged by their efforts in the coming years,” said Mineral Policy Institute legacy mines project coordinator Lauren Mellor.

“Ranger has had a troubled and contested history and there is a clear need to now do business differently and better. Many eyes across Australia and around the world are watching ERA and Rio Tinto and this rehabilitation work is a key test of the company’s credibility and responsibility”.

Environment groups will be continuing their efforts to ensure the highest standard rehabilitation and closure work at Ranger, supporting the aspirations of the region’s Mirarr Traditional Owners in the transition to a post-mining economy.

In related news, the Northern Territory has suffered a setback in its quest to house a proposed nuclear waste facility.