Corporate entry
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Australian Science at Work
Corporate entry
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Mary Kathleen Uranium (1954 - c. 1980) |
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| Function: Metallurgy, Mineralogy or Mining and Resources | ||
| Location: Mary Kathleen, Queensland, Australia | ||
| In 1955 Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd (MKU) was formed as a joint venture between Rio Tinto Mining Company of Australia Limited (65%) and Australian Oil Exploration Ltd (35%). It operated the Mary Kathleen Uranium mine in northern Queensland, which commenced mining at the end of 1956. The company's only supply contract was with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and by October 1963 they had filled that contract. With no other customers to supply the mine was forced to close down that same year. Mary Kathleen Uranium mine didn't reopen until 1974 when new contracts in Japan, Germany and USA were obtained. At the end of 1982 the mine was depleted and forced to close down for good. During the 12 years of operations about 31 million tonnes of material, including uranium oxide concentrate, was mined from the site. Shortly after closing Mary Kathleen Uranium set about reclaiming the land. In 1985 the work was completed, making Mary Kathleen the site of Australia's first major rehabilitation project of a uranium mine. |
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| Location: Mary Kathleen, Queensland | |
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