Export of Mineral Concentrates from Uganda: the Law, the Policy & What Happens in Practice

Uganda’s mining framework is often discussed in “ban vs no ban” terms. But when it comes to exporting mineral concentrates, the real position is more nuanced.

Here is the general legal and practical picture (for awareness, not as specific legal advice).

1) The law recognises “disposal”, but export is not automatic

Ugandan mining law recognises a licence-holder’s right to dispose of minerals won and processed from mining operations. However, that right operates within a controlled statutory framework.

In simple terms, even if a mineral is lawfully produced under a valid mineral right, export is not an automatic entitlement.

2) The key gate is the export permit

The practical legal gateway for export is the export permit issued by the Minister responsible for minerals.

That permit can be:

(a) granted,

(b) delayed,

(c) refused, or

(d) granted subject to conditions.

So the right question is usually not “Is export of concentrates allowed?” It is: “Will an export permit be granted for this product, at this stage of processing, on these terms?”

3) Where policy meets law: value addition as the dominant direction

Uganda’s policy direction is clear: value addition first.

The export-permit system is one of the main tools through which that policy is implemented.

In practice, Government has shown a willingness to use regulations and statutory instruments to:

(a) set minimum purity/grade thresholds for export,

(b) restrict export of raw or semi-processed forms, and/or

(c) permit export only within defined parameters (including tightly controlled windows or conditions linked to commitments on domestic processing).

4) What this means for concentrate exports

A concentrate is often seen by licence holders as “already processed”. However, policy may treat it as still too close to raw export, depending on the mineral, market structure, and domestic industrial plans.

The legal risk is therefore not only what the statute says in general terms, but how export authorisation is administered in line with value-addition objectives.

Practically, you should expect concentrate exports to attract higher scrutiny where:

(a) domestic downstream upgrading is considered feasible by Government, or

(b) Government wants to encourage domestic processing investment.

5) Practical takeaways for investors, offtakers, and project teams

If your project economics depend on concentrate exports, consider these early:

(a) Engage the regulator early on the exportable product specifications (form/grade/purity).

(b) Build permitting risk into contracts, timelines, and financing assumptions.

(c) Anticipate that export approvals may come with conditions aligned to policy (including processing commitments or proof that domestic upgrading is not viable).

6) Bottom line

Uganda’s framework does not reduce concentrate export to a simple “yes/no”. The system is permit-based, and policy objectives—especially value addition—strongly shape how export permissions are granted in practice.