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Jul 17, 2007

"A man's true wealth is the good he does in the world." --Muhammad

Taking a $5 Billion Stand

The shy, 36-year-old sole member of the Djok clan and senior custodian of the Koongarra uranium deposit in Australia has decided never to allow the ecologically sensitive land to be mined. Jeffery Lee is not interested in the soaring price of uranium, which could make him one of the world's richest men. "This is my country, look, it's beautiful and I fear somebody will disturb it,” he said, waving his arm across rocky land surrounded by the Kakadu National Park, where the French mining giant Areva wants to extract 14,000 tons of uranium worth more than $5 billion. "There are sacred sites, there are burial sites and there are other special places out there which are my responsibility to look after," Mr Lee said. "I'm not interested in money."