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JabilukaJabiluka is a proposed uranium mine in Australia that was to have been built on land belonging to the Mirrar Aboriginal people which was surrounded by the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. In 1998 the issue came to a head when the Mirrar people called on activists to come from around Australia and the world to blockade the construction of the mine by Energy Resources Australia (ERA). Over 400 people were arrested in the course of the eight-month blockade. Although ERA were able to dig the entrance to the mine, continual lobbying, in conjuction with falling uranium prices prevented the project from proceeding. ERA's parent company, North Ltd, was bought by Rio Tinto, who announced that the mine will not go ahead - at least until their nearby Ranger uranium mine is mined out. The Mirrar people continue to agitate to have Rio Tinto clean up the mine site and have it restored in keeping with the surrounding National Park. On August 12, 2003 rehabilitation works commenced on the Jabiluka site, 50 000 tonnes of uranium ore already extracted, but never processed, were put back down the mine-shaft at Jabiluka. Negotiations are underway on an agreement between the traditional owners and the mining company that would give the Mirrar legal veto rights over any future development of Jabiluka.
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