Exports of uranium, thorium, depleted uranium, monazite and minerals that contain uranium and thorium are subject to control under Regulation 9 of the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958
Schedule 7 contains a complete list of goods subject to export control under Regulation 9.
The need to control these exports reflects Australia’s stringent nuclear safeguards requirements, including the need to ensure that Australia’s non-proliferation requirements are met with regard to the exports of ores, concentrates and residues which contain practically recoverable concentrations of nuclear material.
The Department’s Controlled Ores Permission Fact Sheet [
PDF, 40KB | 
DOC, 60KB] specifies what information must be included in applications to export depleted uranium and other controlled ores. A fact sheet for uranium ores concentrate (UOC) export permission applications is being developed.
Recent legislative changes
The Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 were amended in September 2007 to clarify the nuclear source materials that are subject to export control. Schedule 7 now clearly specifies that tantalum concentrates and tantalum glass require export permission.
The amendments also provide an exemption for any ore or concentrate containing less than 0.05 per cent by weight of the identified types of uranium and thorium source materials unless the ore or concentrate is listed by the Minister for Resources and Energy to be excluded from this exemption. Australian Customs Notice No. 2007/55
Further information
For further information please contact the Uranium Industry Section via email at uranium@ret.gov.au.