The Uranium Information Centre was set up in 1978, and became part of the new Australian Uranium Association in 2006. Its purpose is:
To increase Australian public understanding of uranium mining and nuclear electricity generation.
The principal aims of the Centre are:
Activities
The main product of the UIC is its 120 Briefing papers.
The Centre produces and distributes a variety of publications including a weekly digest summary (e-mail & web), a bimonthly newsletter, a continually-updated range of Briefing papers, and colour information brochures for schools. It also provides material to the news media.
Popular papers most relevant to climate change issues are Energy Balances and CO2 Emissions, and Sustainable Energy, and also Global Warming - Science and Global Warming - Policy responses.
Since 2001 the UIC has been closely working with the World Nuclear Association, based in London. In September 2006 it became part of the newly-formed Australian Uranium Association, a trade association representing the intersests of uranium mining and exploration companies.
The UIC maintains a reference library of a few thousand volumes and papers. It responds to requests for information, particularly from media, teachers and students. Its site on the World Wide Web - http://www.uic.com.au is heavily used and widely cited.
Britannica editors have selected the UIC web site as "one of the most valuable and reliable on the Internet" ... "when reviewed for quality, accuracy of content, presentation and usability", and it forms part of the Encyclopaedia Britannica web reference network.
The Centre maintains close contact with sources of information in Australia and overseas which are considered reliable and up to date. It is solely concerned with the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, primarily its role in helping to meet world energy needs.
Information is made available to anyone requesting it, particularly politicians, financial analysts, media, and schools. Enquiries are welcome.
Sources
Day to day news input comes from a variety of sources, as acknowledged. The World Nuclear Association in particular in connected to its members all over the world and enables ready access to information. This is supplemented by press stories, media releases and magazine articles.
Regarding more substantial information, UIC has a standing order for all relevant OECD and IAEA publications, including annual statistical material as well as publications reviewing the state of affairs in aspects of nuclear energy. WNA market reports and the Nuclear Engineering handbook are other prime references. All of these enable regular updating of briefing papers and other publications. All major references or sources are quoted.
The Centre also subscribes to relevant journals, some of which provide authoritative articles and papers.
Finally, before any briefing paper is published, or extensively revised, it is reviewed by someone expert in the subject matter to ensure that there are no errors or oversights. The Centre therefore can vouch for and support anything it publishes, and unreservedly offers to correct promptly anything that might be shown as wrong or misleading in what it publishes.
GPO Box 1649, Melbourne 3001, Australia
phone (03) 8616 0440
fax (03) 8616 0441
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