Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990

On the second anniversary of the initial registration of an exploration licence, the Minister must, unless he or she decides otherwise, cancel the licence in relation to at least 25% of the total number of graticular sections (in one or more areas each comprising whole graticular sections only) covered by the licence.

On the fourth anniversary of the initial registration of an exploration licence, the Minister must, unless he or she decides otherwise, cancel the licence in relation to at least a further 35% of the total number of graticular sections (in one or more areas each comprising whole graticular sections only) covered by the licence.

On the seventh anniversary of the initial registration of an exploration licence, the Minister must, unless he or she decides otherwise, cancel the licence in relation to at least a further 20% of the total number of graticular sections (in one or more areas each comprising whole graticular sections only) covered by the licence.

On the tenth anniversary of the initial registration of an exploration licence, the Minister must, unless he or she decides otherwise, cancel the licence in relation to at least a further 10% of the total number of graticular sections (in one or more areas each comprising whole graticular sections only) covered by the licence.

The areas in relation to which a licence is to be cancelled under this section—

are to be those identified by the licensee in a notice given to the Minister at least 30 days before the relevant anniversary; or

in the absence of such a notice, are to be chosen by the Minister.

At least 60 days before the relevant anniversary, the Minister must give the licensee a written notice inviting the licensee to nominate the areas to be cancelled under this section (unless the Minister does not intend to cancel any area in relation to the licence).

In calculating the area to be cancelled—

any part of a graticular section covered by the licence, and any fraction of a graticular section that remains after calculating the area to be cancelled, must be treated as a whole graticular section; and

if the licensee holds 2 or more exploration licences, the combined areas covered by the licences may, at the Minister's discretion, be treated as a single area.

In this section, a reference to the total number of graticular sections covered by a licence is a reference to—

if the licence has not been amalgamated with another licence, the number of graticular sections covered by the licence as originally granted; or

if the licence has been amalgamated with another licence, the total of—

the number of graticular sections covered by the licence as originally granted; and

the number of graticular sections covered by the licence with which the licence was amalgamated, as originally granted.