Australia’s newest uranium producer Boss Energy was in talks to acquire the controversial Jabiluka uranium site in the Northern Territory, before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dashed hopes that it would ever be mined.

Boss Energy, an ASX-listed uranium producer that has just restarted production at South Australia’s Honeymoon project, made a confidential non-binding and indicative offer to Jabiluka’s leaseholder Energy Resources of Australia’s board, and was due to meet representatives of NT Aboriginal groups to discuss its proposal this week.