A bill to repeal New South Wales’ 1986 prohibition on nuclear energy and uranium mining has passed the state’s Upper House and now moves to the Lower House for a final vote. Introduced by Libertarian Party MLC John Ruddick, the Uranium Mining and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Repeal Bill could open uranium exploration around historic prospects such as the Broken Hill region, dormant since the 1970s–80s. The Minerals Council of Australia notes countries representing about 70% of global GDP are now looking to nuclear power and Australian uranium for energy security and grid decarbonisation.

The Uranium Mining and Nuclear Facilities (Prohibitions) Repeal Bill 2025 has passed the New South Wales Legislative Council, moving the state closer to lifting its long‑standing ban on uranium mining and nuclear facilities. The bill must still clear the Legislative Assembly before companies can advance exploration and project feasibility for uranium deposits previously sterilised by the prohibition. Any repeal would trigger new regulatory work on radiation protection, tailings storage design and long‑term groundwater monitoring frameworks specific to uranium operations in NSW.

Chile’s Senate is reviewing a cross‑party bill to create a dedicated legal regime for critical minerals, adding standards for management, information, traceability and operational continuity across the full value chain without amending core mining laws. The draft defines critical minerals as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, rare earths, molybdenum, rhenium, antimony, selenium, silicon, tellurium and indium, all tied to batteries, electrification and solar technologies. For operators, the shift signals tighter oversight on processing and supply‑chain transparency rather than new concession rules.