Tenements and Titles - LexisNexis

TENEMENTS AND TITLES[131,010]The Mining Act 1992 (NSW) (the Mining Act), which governs the grant of miningtenements in NSW, also limits the holders of tenements from starting prospectingoperations in an “exempted area” without first obtaining the minister’s written consent.An “exempted area” under the Mining Act are lands set aside for public purposes, such astravelling stock reserves, road reserves, water supply reserves, state forests, publicreserves and permanent corridors.The governor may also constitute any land as a minerals allocation area for all minerals,for specified minerals and more than one mineral allocation area may be specified inrespect of the same land.Without the minister’s consent, a person may not apply for a tenement in respect ofland for 2 years after the cancellation or refusal of that tenement over that land.The applicant for a tenement must arrange for notice of the application to be publishedin a newspaper generally circulating in NSW within 14 days of lodging the application.Exploration licence (EL)Any person may apply for an EL.The minister’s consent is required before applying for an EL in respect of a mineral inan allocated mineral in a minerals allocation area.The EL application must specify the minerals to be explored and be accompanied bythe required information and fee. Information to be included in an application includes adescription of the land, details of available financial and technical resources, details of theproposed program of work, the proposed amount of expenditure.The minister may also invite tenders for the grant of ELs in relation to minerals in aminerals allocation area.The decision-maker may in their discretion either grant or refuse to grant the EL.Assessment lease (AL)Unless already subject to an existing tenement, any person may apply for an AL.The minister’s consent is required before applying for an AL in respect of an allocatedmineral in a minerals allocation area, unless the applicant already holds an explorationlicence (EL) or mining lease (ML) in respect of that mineral over that land.The AL application must include the same information required for the EL application,except that in addition to that information, an AL application must also include anassessment of the mineral bearing capacity of land the subject of the application and theextent of any mineral deposits on that land and details of any proposed marketing programor environmental study.The decision maker of the AL application may exclude land from assessment in the ALapplication.The decision maker has discretion, in accordance with the Mining Act, to grant or torefuse to grant an AL application.Mining lease (ML)Any person may apply for a ML.The minister’s consent is required before applying for an ML in respect of an allocatedmineral in a minerals allocation area, unless the applicant already holds an explorationlicence (EL) or assessment lease (AL) in respect of that mineral over that land. If notenement exists in that area, the minister may call for tenders for people to apply for theML.The ML application must include the same information required for an EL application,LexisNexis 130,107Service 0Job: research/erl/allvols/serv_0/chapter_5_262680Page: 13 Date: 11/8/2011 Time: 15:30:3bwpageid:: 130107::bwservice::0::