Mining Licenses
Artisanal Mining License (AML)
Grants the license-holder the exclusive right to mine, process and trade in all minerals specified in the license within an area not exceeding ten hectares or to a depth not exceeding twenty-five metres.
Category A - which shall include one or more of the under-mentioned conditions.
- The depth of bore hole to be less than 1.5 metres;
- The production volume to be not less than 100 m3 and not more than 600 m3 per month;
- No machinery to be used.
Category B - which shall include any one or more of the under mentioned conditions.
- The depth of borehole to be less than 1.5 metres;
- The depth of mine not exceeding 2 metres;
- Production volume to be not exceeding 100 m3 per month;
- No machinery to be used.
How to apply for Artisanal Mining License (AML)
Required Documents;
- Duly filled Application [Form 1.1]
- Copy of Deed
- Copy of Survey Plan of site (Provisional)
- If the applicant is not the land owner, lease deed or lease agreement should be provided by the land owner.
- If Individual applicant, should submit copy of National Identity Card (NIC)
- If corporate applicant, should submit copy of Business Registration Certificate (BRC)
Industrial Mining License (IML)
Grants exclusive right to explore for, mine, process, transport and trade-in all minerals mined within the area specified in such license. There are four (4) categories of Industrial Mining Licenses, namely, “A”, “B”, “C” and “D”.
An application to mine for any industrial mineral as defined by the mining licensing regulations, should submit the detailed exploration report and other relevant documents. However, submission of a detailed exploration report is not necessary for application to mine for building materials.
Note that;
- The term ‘bore hole’ or ‘shot hole’ mentioned herein denotes “blasthole”.
- One (1) cube equals one hundred (100) cubic feet equals two decimal eight three (2.83) cubic metres.
Category A - (include any one or more of the following criteria):
- the blasting method shall be multi-bore holes using high explosives and more than five (5) electric detonators and five (5) bore holes at a time;
- the depth of a bore hole shall be more than three (3) metres;
- the production volume shall be more than two thousand (2,000) cubes per month;
- the machinery permitted to be used by the Bureau shall be dredgers, track-drills, jack hammers, compressors, rock breakers, front-end loaders, excavators and backhoe loaders;
- any other machinery to be used as permitted by the Bureau;
- the mining area shall be more than ten (10) hectares;
- the depth of mine shall be more than twenty-five (25) metres;
- the diameter of a bore hole shall be more than forty-two (42) mm.
Category B
- the blasting method shall be multi-bore holes using high explosives and shall not exceed five (5) electric detonators and five (5) bore holes;
- the blasting method shall be multi-bore holes using detonating cord, or expansion by non-explosives;
- the depth of a bore hole shall not exceed three (3) metres;
- the machinery permitted to be used by the Bureau shall be dredgers, jack hammers, compressors, rock breakers, front-end loaders, excavators and backhoe loaders;
- any other machinery to be used as permitted by the Bureau;
- the production volume shall not exceed two thousand (2,000) cubes per month;
- the depth of the mine shall not exceed twenty-five (25) metres;
- the mining area shall not exceed ten (10) hectares;
- the diameter of a bore hole shall not exceed forty-two (42) mm.
Category C
a. the blasting method shall be single shot hole;
b. the depth of a bore hole shall not exceed three (3) metres;
c. the production volume shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) cubes per month;
d. the machinery permitted to be used by the Bureau for operations shall be jack hammers, compressors, rock breakers, front-end loaders, excavators and backhoe loaders;
e. the mining area shall not exceed two (2) hectares and depth of the mine shall not exceed twenty-five (25) metres;
Category D
a. the blasting method shall be single shot hole;
b. the depth of a bore hole shall not exceed one decimal five (1.5) metres;
c. the production volume shall not exceed five hundred (500) cubes per month;
d. the machinery permitted to be used by the Bureau shall be jack hammers with compressors, front-end loaders and excavators;
e. the mining area shall not exceed two (2) hectares and depth of the mine shall not exceed twenty-five (25) metres;
How to apply for a new Industrial Mining License (IML)
Required Documents;
- Duly filled Application [Form 3.1, 2.3]
- Copy of Deed
- Copy of Survey Plan of site (Provisional)
- If the applicant is not the land owner, lease deed or lease agreement should be provided by the land owner.
- An Individual applicant, should submit copy of National Identity Card (NIC)
- A Corporate applicant, should submit copy of Business Registration Certificate (BRC)
- Economic Viability Report
Reserved Minerals License (RML)
License to explore for, mine, process and trade in reserved minerals may be granted with the approval of the Minister.
Required Documents;
- Duly filled Application [Form 5]
- Copy of Deed
- Copy of Survey Plan of site (Provisional)
- If the applicant is not the land owner, original of either the Lease Deed or the Lease Agreement as issued by the land owner to be submitted.
- If an Individual Applicant, should submit the original and a copy of National Identity Card (NIC)
- If a Corporate Applicant, should submit the original and a copy of Business Registration Certificate (BRC) and a copy of Memorandum of Articles
- A detailed map showing access to the mining site
- Proof of residence of Applicant?
- Application fee receipt