Adelaide, Mar 30, 2006 (ABN Newswire) - The Western Australian Government's ban on uranium mining is preventing development of uranium valued at $15 billion, according to Nova Energy Chairman, Mr Tim Sugden.

Mr Sugden told the 2006 Uranium Conference that Nova's Wiluna uranium deposit in central WA would generate $1 billion in revenue at current uranium prices.

"We believe you could multiply that figure by 15 times if all the potential projects in Western Australia could be developed," Mr Sugden said.

While the current WA Government's policy leaves a valuable resource in the ground, Mr Sugden told delegates that he was confident growing political and public pressure could see the WA ban overturned within the next two years.

Nova's Lake Way and Centipede deposits contain an inferred 20 million pounds of yellowcake and, in being close to the surface and amenable to simple excavation and transport, could be quickly and economically developed.

Mr Sugden said the revenue generated by the development of Lake Way and Centipede would make a valuable contribution in employment, business opportunities, and health to a struggling regional community like Wiluna.

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