Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion approved- Indigenous elder speaks out at Adelaide protest

http://cuttlefishcountry.com Arabunna Elder Kevin Buzzacott spoke to a spontaneously formed protest on the day the news of BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam mine expansion received state and Federal environmental approval. Kevin has watched his traditional lands suffer as water has been drawn in growing quantities from the Great Artesian Basin which lies beneath the desert's surface. This water is used primarily for dust control at the mine site, and the mining operation is permitted to extract up to 42 million litres from the Great Artesian Basin daily without paying a cent for it. Mound springs have dried up (the desert areas where the GAB breaks the earth's surface) and the ecology which relies on them is under growing threat as more and more water is drawn from the basin. BHP Billiton's thirst is only set to grow, and today news also broke that the desalination plant proposed for Point Lowly, adjacent to rocky reef habitat where the Giant Australian Cuttlefish breed annually has also been approved. Kevin is determined to see BHP cease their operations at Roxby Downs, which he believes has also caused blindness and ulcers in kangaroos and other animals in his desert home. A protest is scheduled for October 20th outside BHP Billiton's Adelaide office, with more information available at http://cuttlefishcountry.com

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• kevin buzzacott
• indigenous
• aboriginal
• native
• aboriginie
• water
• great artesian basin
• mound springs
• radiation
• fukushima
• uranium
• mining
• olympic dam
• giant australian cuttlefish
• cuttlefish country
• copper
• gold
• silver
• desalination
• future
• nuclear
• nuclear weapons
• nuclear power
• protest
• south australia
• roxby downs Mining
• lake eyre

[danimations80]

Thanks Charley, we expect Uncle Kevin will be on the steps of Parliament House at the next protest, October 20... we'll pass on your condolences then. There are parallel protest scheduled for London, Melbourne, Darwin and Perth too... get involved if you can

[chKchKcharley]

This is terrible news. Please tell Uncle Kevin that we are sorry for this bad news but we all got his back, keep up the good fight!