The State Environment Minister of WA, Albert Jacob, has given state approval to the Yeelirrie uranium mine proposal despite opposition from Traditional Owners and his own government's Environment Protection Agency's findings. The EPA recommended against approval due to the fact that if the mine went ahead, it would almost certainly cause the extinction of a number of Subterrean Stygofauna, tiny underground creatures unique to that area. The proposal now sits awaiting Federal approval, along with two other mines from the Goldfields region in WA - Mulga Rocks and Wiluna.

I spoke with Richard Evan, Koara tribal leader and co-founder of WANFA, who is a traditional owner at Yeelirrie and Mia Pepper, from the Conservation Council of WA. I also spoke with Jim Green, from Friends of the Earth, who talked about the global situation of the Nuclear industry and how that impacts on proposed projects like the one at Yeelirrie.