233 days for an exploration licence

Native title processes were the longest delay for WA mining exploration licence approvals in the September quarter, representing more than half of an average 233 day wait.

That nearly eight month processing period for exploration approval is down from 256 days in the March quarter, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety data shows.

An average 35 days was spent within the department on approvals, the data said, with a further 26 days pending at other agencies, and 27 days in the hands of proponents making amendments.

But 145 days were required, on average, for native title processes.

A licence is needed for a company to undertake exploration work on a tenement.

It authorises entry to land and allows disturbance of materials.

They are just one permit in the process to develop a project.

The department said 720 exploration licence applications had been received in the quarter, with 420 finalised.

Of those 420, 99 per cent were within the department’s 65 day performance target, it said.

About 2,260 exploration licence applications were carried into the December quarter, a spokesperson said, adding that they were awaiting Commonwealth Native Title processes, Warden Court decisions and related matters.

Similarly, many other approval applications were on the books heading into the December quarter.

Those included 1,261 prospecting licence approvals, 38 mining leases, and 33 petroleum exploration permits, the department said.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies chief executive Warren Pearce praised the state government’s ongoing work to improve approval times.

Mr Pearce said the approach should be replicated in other departments.

“In February, this year Minister Bill Johnston announced that the assessment target for program of work applications would be halved from 30 to 15 business days,” Mr Pearce said.

“The government has hit the reduced timeframes a whopping 98 per cent of the time, which shows there may be opportunity for further efficiencies.”

“Both mineral exploration and prospecting licence applications were also approved within target timeframes over 98 per cent of the time, so there is a fairly obvious opportunity for further reductions to achieve efficiency for industry.

“The success of this effort at DMIRS demonstrates that reduced timeframe targets are achievable, and we would like to see an approach also adopted for environmental approvals and in other departments.”