Export Controls on Mining and Exploration Equipment

<strong>Export</strong> <strong>Controls</strong> on 

Mining and Exploration Equipment 

<strong>Export</strong>s of the types of goods and services listed in this document may require export approval to 

comply with the Customs (Prohibited <strong>Export</strong>s) Regulations, the Weapons of Mass Destruction 

(Prevention of Proliferation) Act, or Sanctions Regulations. 

What goods are regulated by the Defence and 

Strategic Goods List? 

The Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) contains the 

complete list of goods and technologies that are regulated 

for export under Regulation 13E of the Customs 

(Prohibited <strong>Export</strong>) Regulations 1958. You must obtain 

permission prior to exporting goods listed in the DSGL. 

The DSGL contains two parts. Part 1 covers Defence and 

related goods and technologies – items designed or 

adapted for use by armed forces or goods that are 

inherently lethal. It includes non‐military firearms and 

ammunition, and commercial explosives and initiators. 

Part 2 covers dual‐use goods and technologies – items 

developed to meet commercial needs but which may be 

used either as military components, or in the development 

or production of military systems, or weapons of mass 

destruction (WMD). 

What types of goods and services are 

controlled by the WMD Act? 

The Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of 

Proliferation) Act 1995 (the WMD Act) can permit or 

prohibit the export or supply of otherwise non‐controlled 

goods and services that could contribute to a WMD 

program. It is important to note that the WMD Act does 

not contain a list of goods and services which may be 

controlled. Further information on the WMD Act can be 

found in the guide published on the Defence <strong>Export</strong> 

Control Office (DECO) website. 

What can I do to ensure goods or services are 

not contributing to a WMD program? 

Not all buyers approach Australian industries with a 

legitimate commercial purpose. Illicit WMD programs and 

proliferation of conventional arms pose significant threats 

to the safety of all Australians, and to regional and global 

security. It is in Australia’s interest to ensure would‐be 

proliferators are denied access to goods and services. 

DECO has developed questionnaires and checklists for 

your clients and you that help assess if a transaction may 

be controlled. 

<strong>Export</strong>ers should contact DECO when they have concerns 

about possibly contributing to a WMD program 

Page | 1 

Australian industry can help prevent the proliferation of 

WMD and conventional weapons by reporting all 

suspicious approaches to DECO. An online form to report 

suspicious approaches is available on our website. 

How do I get permission to export goods that 

may be controlled? 

If you are unsure about the control status of the goods or 

technology to be exported, you should submit a 

completed DEC60 Request for Technical Assessment of 

Goods or Services. If you intend to export in the short 

term, we suggest you submit a completed DEC01 

Application to <strong>Export</strong> Controlled Goods instead to avoid 

unnecessary delay. 

Where can I get more information? 

More information on the export controls administered by 

DECO and the information referenced in this guide can be 

found at www.defence.gov.au/strategy/deco 

Email: deco@defence.gov.au 

Phone: 1800 66 10 66 

What about Sanctions? 

Sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, 

as well as by the Australian Government, place 

restrictions on the supply, sale or transfer of a range of 

goods on the DSGL, as well as a number of additional 

military and WMD dual‐use goods, to certain countries. 

Sanctions also impose restrictions on commercial dealings 

with designated companies in certain countries, including 

some involved in the extractive industries sector. 

Australian laws giving effect to United Nations Security 

Council or autonomous sanctions are administered by the 

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

Information concerning these laws may be found on 

DFAT's website www.dfat.gov.au/un/unsc_sanctions 

Are there penalties for breaching these laws? 

It is important to note that export control legislation 

contains offences for the unlawful export or supply of 

controlled goods and services and carries significant 

penalties. DECO is committed to ensuring that you are 

aware of how the legislative requirements apply to your 

operations.

List of items and services, commonly used in the mining and exploration 

industry, which may be regulated or subject to export control under 

Regulation 13E, the WMD Act or Sanctions laws. 

Explosives (energetic materials) 

DSGL: Items ML8, ML908, 1C011, 1C111 and 1C239 

Sanctions: Depending upon destination 

• Demolition‐charges 

• Demolition‐devices 

• Demolition‐kits 

Survey Equipment 

DSGL: Items 3A231, 6A006, 6A007, 7A003 and 9A012 


• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 

• Pulsed neutron generators 

• Gravity meters 

• Magnetometers 

• Radiation detection equipment 

• Inertial navigation systems 

Underwater Survey Equipment 

DSGL: Items 6A001, 8A001 and 8A002 


• Wide‐swath bathymetric survey systems designed for sea 

bed topographic mapping 

• Manned and unmanned submersible vehicles capable of 

exceeding 1000m depth 

• Hydrofoil vessels with active systems for automatically 

controlling foil systems 

• Small waterplane area vessels 

• Systems specially designed or modified for the automated 

control of the motion of submersible vehicles 

• "Robots" specially designed for underwater use 

• Underwater vision systems; with night vision or thermal 

capabilities 

• Air independent power systems, specially designed for 

underwater use 

Ore Processing Equipment 

DSGL: Items 2B226, 3A226 and 3A227 


WMD: Depending upon destination and end user 

• Radiometric ore sorters (On‐line belt analysers) 

• Prompt gamma neutron activation analysers (PGNAA) 

• High voltage direct current power supplies capable of 

continuously producing 10 kV or more over a period of 8 

hours, with output power of 5 kW or more with or 

without sweeping; and with current or voltage stability 

better than 0.1% over a period of 4 hours 

• Controlled atmosphere (vacuum or inert gas) induction 

furnaces, and power supplies 

Page | 2 

Spectrometers 

DSGL: Item 3A233 



• Mass Spectrometers: Inductively coupled plasma (ICPMS), 

glow discharge (GDMS), molecular beam 

• Optical Spectrometers: Visible light, infrared, ultraviolet 

(UV), atomic absorption (AA), optical emission (OE), Raman 

and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) 

Chemical Processing Equipment 

DSGL: Item 2B350 



• Valves 

• Storage tanks 

• Reaction vessels or reactors 

• Agitators 

• Containers 

• Receivers 

• Heat exchangers 

• Condensors 

• Distillation or absorption columns 

• Multi‐walled piping 

• Multiple seal or seal‐less pumps (including pump bodies, 

liners, rotors, nozzles) made from corrosion resistant 

alloys; fluoropolymer; glass; graphite or 'carbon graphite' 

Chemicals 

DSGL: Items ML7, 0COO3, 1C350 and 1C405 



Professional Services 



• Engineering 

• Architectural 

• Resource evaluation 

• Mining geotechnics 

• Hydrogeology 

• Metallurgy 

• Business improvement services 

• Working as a consultant or adviser 

• Providing training 

• Providing technological information or know‐how 

• Procuring another to supply or export goods 

• Provide services that will or may assist in a WMD program

Export Controls on Mining and Exploration Equipment

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