RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:U.S. plans uranium import probe that may lead to tariffsTariffs are easily applied to Steel and Aluminium but it is far more difficult to apply them to the Uranium fuel cycle. My sources indicate that it is not tariffs that they want and this has been stated by most of the US Uranium CEO. For example would you apply it to U3O8 mined outside of the USA? How would you deal with UF6 which is made from U3O8...largely by Cameco. What about enriched UF6...the US has no enrichment facilities. So if the mechanism chosen is tariffs then it would need to apply to all parts of the fuel cycle not just the mined supply of U3O8.
Let us say it was applied to Cameco. The yellowcake would be converted into UF6 and this would not have a tariff applied?? Or converted to Uranium Dioxide (that is what actually goes into a reactor...not U3O8).
Applying a tariff to just U3O8 from mines outside the US would be unenforceable and meaningless. Cameco mines Uranium internationally - some of it comes from their Inkai mine in Kazakhstan....how would the US differentiate the Uranium in barrels from Kazakhstan from Uranium in barrels from Cigar Lake.....it all looks the same.
This is way way more complex than Steel and Aluminium and that is why I think the US industry did not mention tariffs at all in their request. While I cannot see any easy mechanism by which the US Department of Commerce could enforce the 25% US supply rule I am certain that it will not be in the form of tariffs at the border.
Malcolm