Mary Kathleen (Queensland)

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Mary Kathleen is the name of a uranium left open pit mine and associated nearby abandoned mining town in Queensland, Australia.

Location

Mary Kathleen is located between the mining towns Mount Isa and Cloncurry in northwest Queensland. The abandoned settlement of Mary Kathleen is located next to the highway between the two cities, the open pit is located about 5 km north of the settlement.

History

The deposit was discovered in 1954 by prospectors from Mt Isa. In 1955, Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd. was founded, to which the mining group Rio Tinto Mining Company of Australia Ltd. owned a majority of shares. The following year, a treaty with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for the supply of uranium concentrate was closed. In 1958, the preparation of the mine was commissioned in 3460 and to 1963 tonnes of uranium were delivered in the concentrate. For this, 2.9 million tonnes of ore were promoted. Attempts to market the ore in the highly enriched rare earth metals were unsuccessful. In 1963 the mine was shut down and mothballed the plant.

In the early 1970s, new contracts were negotiated with customers in Japan, Germany and the U.S. and took the equipment back into operation in 1974. At this time were 51 % of the company Conzinc Riotinto of Australia Ltd, 42% of the Australian state and 7% were in free float. 1978, the operation was resumed with new processing technology. 1982, the mining industry was finally stopped after the production of additional 4802 tons of uranium oxide. A total of 31 million tons of rock were during the entire mining period of twelve years moved, including 7 million tons of ore

In contrast to the first mining period of the second phase was preceded by an environmental impact assessment prior to resuming production. After completion of mining activity followed until 1985 a refurbishment program, which cost 19 million Australian dollars. This was the first major refurbishment program for a uranium mine in Australia. Below Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd. was dissolved.