Federal Court to hear ERA case after Jabiluka lease denied
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The news: The Federal Court of Australia has made an interim order to stay last month's decision by the Northern Territory government to not renew Energy Resources of Australia's (ERA) lease for its Jabiluka development.
The context: ERA, which is 86%-owned by mining giant Rio Tinto, said the move means that the NT government's decision — and its enforcement or execution — are now pending further order of the federal court.
Earlier this week, the uranium miner commenced proceedings with the court, seeking a judicial review of the renewal decision, including the federal government's advice to the NT government to refuse the renewal of the Jabiluka mining lease.
ERA said this morning that the matter has been listed for a case management hearing on 19 August to set a timetable for the hearing of ERA's case.
The NT government said in July it would not grant any mineral title over the Jabiluka area once ERA's lease ends this month. ERA had applied to extend the lease for another 10 years.
Following the state government's decision last month, fellow uranium play Boss Energy withdrew a $550 million offer for the mining lease at Jabiluka.
In March, ERA applied to renew its lease on the deposit which is surrounded by Kakadu National Park — a move opposed by Indigenous leaders. ERA claimed that extending the lease was "the best way to protect Jabiluka's cultural heritage" as it had no development plans for the deposit.
The source: ASX announcement
