Conference hears of SA nuclear debate

An expansion of South Australia's involvement in the nuclear fuel industry could generate considerable wealth for the state, Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis says.

But the minister says the debate over any expansion must be based on the world's best evidence.

"After a quarter of a century of establishing South Australia as the centre of uranium mining in this country, the government believes this is the appropriate time to initiate a mature debate on the risks and benefits of expanding our role in the nuclear fuel cycle," Mr Koutsantonis told a resources conference in Adelaide on Monday.

South Australia has established a royal commission to look into expanding SA's role in the nuclear industry, including the possible storage of nuclear waste.

The SA treasurer said Canada's nuclear industry contributed almost $7 billion to its annual GDP and directly employed 20,000 people.

"An industry of comparable size in South Australia would be a considerable expansion of our current capabilities," he said.