Media Statements - Prospectors to benefit from new laws: Minister.

31/1/01

Prospectors’ access to land across Western Australia will be significantly increased when new laws come into effect on Saturday (February 3) allowing holders of Miner’s Rights entry to Crown Land within exploration licences.

Mines Minister Norman Moore said he hoped the new regulations for the Mining Amendment Bill 2000, which would be gazetted on Friday, would help prospectors increase the discovery rate of new mineral deposits.

“Prospectors have a long and proud history of unearthing major deposits around the State,” Mr Moore said.

“Opening up about 26 million hectares held under granted exploration licences should improve the chance of finding Western Australia’s next world-class deposit.”

Mr Moore said some of the conditions for access to exploration licences included:

notifying exploration licence holders and any affected pastoralist prior to entry on to the land;

only using hand-held tools with access limited to the top two metres;

advising licence holders and the Department of Minerals and Energy of any discovery of mineralisation; and -

a 100m radius buffer zone around areas within a licence which are the subject of activities being undertaken by the licence holder.

Mr Moore said access was limited to Crown Land within exploration licences.

“Prospectors will not have right of access to mining leases or prospecting licences,” he said.

“Similarly, reserved land and private land areas held under exploration licences will not be accessible to prospectors.”

Mr Moore said the discovery and development of mineral wealth had laid the foundations for WA’s enviable way of life.

“To ensure the ongoing success of the State’s economy we have to find new mines to replace the ones we are depleting today,” he said.

“Opening up exploration licences is one way we can stack the odds a little more in our favour.”

Mr Moore said the decision to increase access to exploration licences was made after extensive consultation with the Amalgamated Prospectors and Leaseholders Association and peak mining industry groups.

He said the new laws would help all sectors of the mineral industry as prospectors would have access to alluvial deposits while any discoveries would be reported to the company holding the exploration licence.

Media contact:
Hartley Joynt, Minister’s office 9321 1444,
James Bowie, Department of Minerals and Energy 9222 3527