RE: tenement, licenses19 Sep 2021 12:33
Thanks Dillion. A start, still need to learn more.
There may be three stages in the development of a mine:
Exploration. The exploration licence/permit generally gives the holder a conditional right of access to land to carry out exploration activities and sampling for a specified range of minerals. The exploration licence also gives conditional access to the land for supporting activities, but does not give any mining rights.
Commonly throughout the States and Territory's legislation, exploration permits and licences require the holder to carry out specified works to a particular value each year and are subject to periodic (often yearly) area reductions.
Retention/mineral development licence. The purpose of the retention title is to allow the holder to undertake an evaluation of potential mining activities (such as an evaluation of the economic development of a particular mineral) or to postpone development until it is commercially viable. The majority of States and Territories have some form of retention title.
Mining lease. If a holder of an exploration (or retention licence) discovers commercially viable minerals, they can apply for a mining lease. A mining lease generally allows the holder to extract specified minerals and to sell or otherwise dispose of them.