Reforms for WA mining industry

In the biggest overhaul to Western Australian mining laws in nearly 30 years, red-tape will be slashed to help cut the 7,600 strong backlog in mining lease applications.

Resources Minister John Bowler has welcomed the changes to the 1978 Mining Act, which come into effect today, and said they were vital in fostering continued economic growth in WA.

The legislative amendments will see a reversion scheme introduced that will allow mining lease applicants to apply for exploration titles over the land if they want to continue exploring but do not want to commence full-scale mining.

Under the current legislation, if exploration had not finished by the end of the initial exploration term a mining lease would have to be applied for, a time consuming process leading to massive backlogs.

With the amendments in place a mining lease will now only be granted if mineralisation has been discovered, and miners will have a 12-month window (from the date of proclamation) to apply for reversion titles to allow them to continue their exploration without the need for a mining lease

"Mining and exploration are key economic drivers for our State, employing more than
40,000 people and generating more than $17billion worth of exports each year," Mr Bowler said.

"The reforms will modernise WA's mining laws and encourage long term mineral exploration programs and lead to new mineral discoveries in the State.

"Longer terms and a three-fold increase in areas for exploration licences in greenfields areas are sought-after improvements."

The reforms incorporate recommendations from the Technical Taskforce on Native Title, the Bowler Inquiry into Greenfields Exploration in WA and the Keating Review of the Project Development Approvals System.

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New mining amendments come into effect.

The biggest overhaul to Western Australian mining laws in nearly 30 years came into effect today.

Resources Minister John Bowler welcomed the changes to the 1978 Mining Act, which he said were vital in fostering continued economic growth in WA.

"Mining and exploration are key economic drivers for our State, employing more than
40,000 people and generating more than $17billion worth of exports each year," Mr Bowler said.

"The reforms will modernise WA's mining laws and encourage long term mineral exploration programs and lead to new mineral discoveries in the State.

"Longer terms and a three-fold increase in areas for exploration licences in greenfields areas are sought-after improvements."

The Minister said the new system would cut the 7,800 mining lease application backlog the industry was currently experiencing.

The amendments introduced a reversion scheme that would allow mining lease applicants to apply for exploration titles over the land if they want to continue exploring but do not want to commence full-scale mining.

The temporary scheme will provide mining lease applicants with a 12-month window from the date of proclamation to apply for reversion titles.

Mr Bowler said that under previous legislation, exploration titles had limited terms.

"If a proponent had not finished exploration by the end of that term, they would have to apply for a mining lease," he said.

"A mining lease will now only be granted if mineralisation has been discovered, therefore decreasing the backlog of applicants we now have."

The reforms incorporate recommendations from the Technical Taskforce on Native Title, the Bowler Inquiry into Greenfields Exploration in WA and the Keating Review of the Project Development Approvals System.

Media contact: Stuart McLagan - 9222 9699 / 0428 112 430 Mobile
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