B Media  sas TRpiPflQp Resources 1  U U L v U O v_____________________________  (S (Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and  Resources, the Rt Hon. J. D .  Anthony, M.P.) The formal, assignment to Energy Resources of Australia  (ERA) of the Government's interests in the Ranger uranium project  was completed in Canberra today. At a signing ceremony in Canberra legal documents were  signed by me on behalf of the Commonwealth and by representatives  of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Peko-Wallsend Operations  Ltd, Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Ltd and ERA. Just over 12 months ago I announced the Government's  willingness to examine proposals for.the acquisition of its interests  in Ranger. The -discussions at first with a number of Australian and  overseas interests, and-later with ERA, have been carried out in a  spirit of co-operation and with a desire on everyone's part to get  Australia established as an important supplier of uranium to the  world,. .  " .  ;  .  '  . The sale of the Government's interests in Ranger has brought  with it^ sales contracts with West Germany and Japan worth, at  average market prices .prevailing to date during 1980, in excess of  $A2,000 million. I believe this figure could be considerably larger  over the 15 year life of the contracts. This is one of the largest .   uranium sales contracts ever negotiated and represents one of the  largest export sales ever- recorded at one time for a single commodity  -  by an Australian company. .  .  .  ^ I am. particularly pleased that the sale of the Government's  interests in Ranger to ERA involves a return of this important asset  to an Australian company involving the original Australian partners  (Peko and EZ) who discovered the Ranger deposits. Canberra 12 September 1980

(Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and  Resources, the Rt Hon. J. D .  Anthony, M.P.)

The formal, assignment to Energy Resources of Australia  (ERA) of the Government's interests in the Ranger uranium project  was completed in Canberra today.

At a signing ceremony in Canberra legal documents were  signed by me on behalf of the Commonwealth and by representatives  of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission, Peko-Wallsend Operations  Ltd, Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Ltd and ERA.

Just over 12 months ago I announced the Government's  willingness to examine proposals for.the acquisition of its interests  in Ranger. The -discussions at first with a number of Australian and  overseas interests, and-later with ERA, have been carried out in a

spirit of co-operation and with a desire on everyone's part to get  Australia established as an important supplier of uranium to the  world,. .  " .  ;  .  '  .

The sale of the Government's interests in Ranger has brought  with it^ sales contracts with West Germany and Japan worth, at  average market prices .prevailing to date during 1980, in excess of  $A2,000 million. I believe this figure could be considerably larger  over the 15 year life of the contracts. This is one of the largest .   uranium sales contracts ever negotiated and represents one of the

largest export sales ever- recorded at one time for a single commodity  -  by an Australian company. .  .  .  ^

I am. particularly pleased that the sale of the Government's  interests in Ranger to ERA involves a return of this important asset  to an Australian company involving the original Australian partners  (Peko and EZ) who discovered the Ranger deposits.

Canberra 12 September 1980

