When uranium was mined from Mary Kathleen in the 1950s until the early 1980s, rare earth elements, also in the ground, were piled into the tailings and overlooked.

Some of the rare earth elements, including lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium and neodymium, are now sitting in the tailings waiting for exportation. 

There were seven million tonnes of rare earth minerals averaging 3 per cent purity in the  tailings. 

These minerals are used for modern technologies including camera lenses, batteries, diesel additives, self-cleaning ovens, lasers and welding goggles.

Tenders for mining Mary Kathleen were made available with the release of the uranium mining framework yesterday. 

Nearby property owner, Margaret Campbell, 83, said her family has known the rare earth was in the tailings for many years. 

She did not approve of future mining projects. 

“There’s enough pollution without creating more,” Mrs Campbell said. Mrs Campbell said there was radon gas trapped in the tailings, which will be released when miners sift through it. 

When the mine was first active it pumped the waste into nearby waterholes, which killed the nearby cattle. Mrs Campbell expects it to happen again. 

Mary Kathleen  still contains un-mined uranium. 

Minister for Mines Andrew Cripps said the state government would accept applications for uranium mining proposals through frameworks at a world safety standard. 

It had taken the state government 18 months to establish a “modern regulatory framework for uranium” which has taken the best practices from the Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. 

“I think it’s a great opportunity for North West Queensland to move into an area where we haven’t previously established in the resource sector in terms of rare earths,” Mr Cripps said. 

Uranium would be transported by road, either to Darwin or Adelaide ports where it was permissible to export it.