Uranium 'not to be used for weapons'

The Rudd government says it's confident uranium sent to Russia won't be used for weapons.

The Rudd government says it's confident uranium sent to Russia won't be used for weapons.

But it will still complete a more detailed analysis before it begins exporting the resource.

Australia, which has the world's largest uranium reserves, has paved the way for sales to Russia, despite concerns about military armament and nuclear spills.

Russia was a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and will sign a separate agreement acknowledging uranium can only be used for peaceful purposes, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said.

"So we've come to the conclusion that we can safely export uranium to Russia and it won't be diverted for military purposes," he told ABC Radio.

Russia was in fact reducing its nuclear stockpile, so "there's no need for Russia to convert anyone's uranium or divert it for nuclear weapons purposes".

The government will go through a formal ramification process before it sends its first shipment, Mr Smith added.