Compass Resources is an inexperienced mining company, with big plans for the Northern Territory town of Batchelor, less than 100km out of Darwin.

The future of Batchelor will be influenced by the direction taken for the management of the Rum Jungle region. Home to the Territory’s first (and worst) uranium mine, the region bears a legacy of radioactive contamination.

Although the old mine has never been adequately rehabilitated, the region now faces the threat of further pollution.

Compass are currently seeking approval to mine the Oxide deposit at Browns Cut, immediately adjacent to the old lease. This project would generate considerable further pollution, including radioactive waste in the form of tailings and contaminated water. Despite plans for contaminated water to overflow into the East Finniss River, Compass are confident that their waste won’t be any worse than what’s already there.

Compass admit that this is just the first stage of their plans, which would see the initial four year Oxide project expand into a major dig for the sulphide deposits below.

Beyond this, the company is enthusiastic to mine the significant uranium reserves that they have identified in the region. On 4th April, the application by Compass Resources for a Mineral Lease at the Mt Fitch uranium deposit at Rum Jungle was made public. This makes Mt Fitch the most advanced uranium project in the NT.