From The Executive Director

Welcome GSWA Executive Director Dr Ivor Roberts to the latest edition of the Department and Mines and Petroleum (DMP) Mineral Titles Newsletter.

It’s been a busy start to the year but an exciting one with the launch in February of the nomination process for the pioneering new Community Partnership Resources Sector Award.

This award will acknowledge the successful partnerships and lasting benefits that have been brought to Western Australia’s communities by mining and petroleum resource companies.

Over the past few weeks we have visited a number of regional areas across the State to tell people about the award and have already received some terrific feedback.

A key role of DMP is to provide titles to explore for and extract minerals and, as a result, we are always striving to improve our performance.

It is therefore extremely pleasing to see that the department achieved its best ever quarter for tenement approvals in December 2015.

This is a fantastic result and all of our staff deserve huge congratulations.

The Mineral Titles Division is also committed to improving its services and is continuing to progress the availability of all Mining Act forms online.

We have already made great progress in this area and hope to continue this trend as we work towards ensuring that all forms are available online as e-forms by 30 June 2016.

The aim of this newsletter is to provide tenement holders and other stakeholders with the latest news, updates and ongoing initiatives from the department’s Mineral Titles Division.

I hope you enjoy it and I welcome any feedback you may have.

Dr Ivor Roberts

Collaboration With Walga On Basic Raw Materials

The Basic Raw Materials Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) is working with the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) to help improve the regulation of basic raw materials across the State.

As part of this collaboration, DMP and WALGA have now commissioned an independent review which will analyse the current system and recommend reforms to improve the regulatory framework.

Improved regulation of basic raw materials is vital for the future development of housing and infrastructure in Western Australia.

The complexities and shortcomings of the current regulatory regime for basic raw materials were highlighted during the Perth Peel Green Growth Plan consultative process.

Currently, there is a dual system based on the underlying land tenure.

This means that while basic raw materials on Crown land are regulated by the State Government under the Mining Act 1978, materials located on freehold land are regulated by the relevant local government under the Local Government Act 1995/Planning and Development Act 2005.

To simplify the regulation of basic raw materials, it is vital that early collaborative engagement with local government takes place.

The WALGA-DMP collaboration will also be important for future Government decisions, engagement with industry, local government and other stakeholders.

Removal Of Iron Ore Authorisation

New mining tenement applications will soon no longer need iron ore authorisations as part of the Government’s red tape reduction.

Iron ore authorisation was originally incorporated into the Mining Act 1978 due to Government policies that no longer exist.

However, with iron being one of the most common elements in the Earth’s crust, it no longer makes any sense to have this authorisation requirement.

The Licensing Provisions Amendment Bill 2015 has now been introduced into Parliament that will render Section 111 of the Mining Act 1978 inoperative for new tenement applications.

New applications will include rights to all minerals including iron when granted. In terms of time and effort, it is estimated these provisions have cost the resources industry up to $8 million dollars over the last 10 years.

The amendments will not affect existing tenement holders to seek the inclusion of iron in their titles. In addition, existing mining tenements that include iron can continue to exercise this right.

This elimination of the requirement to apply for a separate approval to include iron for new applications will improve administration of tenements and tenement applications.

Community Partnership Award Launched

A new award aimed at recognising outstanding achievements and innovative partnerships between resource companies and communities has been launched.

In GSWA-Community-Partnership-Award-Geraldton-visit February, nominations for the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s (DMP) new Community Partnership Resources Sector Award officially got underway.

DMP Executive Director Mineral Titles Dr Ivor Roberts said the aim was to raise awareness of the benefits that positive community collaboration is having throughout the State.

“By working together to address local concerns, resource companies and communities can help to build relationships that result in ongoing positive outcomes for all involved,” Dr Roberts said.

“This award will showcase the partnerships that have resulted in meaningful and positive outcomes for local communities throughout Western Australia.”

Since the launch of the nomination process Dr Roberts and other DMP staff have hosted information sessions about the new award at a number of different regional offices located throughout Western Australia.

“The Community Partnership Award information sessions have been very well received,” Dr Roberts said.

“We have already had some great feedback from those attending the sessions about the award and have heard about some inspiring stories of partnerships that have made a real difference to the communities they’re in.”

Any community group, individual or company operating within Western Australia’s mining sector, energy resources or extractive industries, is eligible to enter a submission for the new Community Partnership Award.

All entries will be assessed against three criteria – leadership/innovation in engagement, benefits of the collaboration and commitment to providing sustainable and enduring outcomes.

The Mines and Petroleum Minister will present the winners with their award at the annual DMP Awards for Excellence night on October 27, which will also incorporate the Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence.

Nominations for the Community Partnership Award 2016 close on Friday April 29. For further information on the new award visit our Community Partnership Award page.

Seven Golden Rules For Prospecting

Prospectors across Western Australia are being reminded of the Seven Golden Rules.   

Following GSWA Seven Golden Rules For Prospecting an increase in the popularity of prospecting, the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) is reminding people to familiarise themselves with their safety and legal responsibilities when prospecting throughout the State.

This will ensure all activity is carried out in a safe and sustainable way.

To learn more about the different permits and permissions required for prospecting in Western Australia, please refer to the Seven Golden Rules for Prospecting (below).

  1. Obtain a Miner’s Right
    when prospecting on vacant Crown land ($25 from any Mining Registrar’s office).

  2. Put Safety First
    • Make sure you have enough water, fuel, maps and first aid supplies.
    • Take some form of telecommunications and a global positioning system to fix locations, and a Personal Locator Beacon – it may turn out to be your most important safety device.

  3. Obtain a 40E Permit
    when prospecting within an exploration licence (if you don’t have written permission from the tenement holder).

  4. Get Written Permission
    from the tenement holder when prospecting on:
    • a mining lease
    • an exploration licence (if you don’t have a 40E permit)
    • a prospecting licence

  5. Comply with all Legal Requirements
    when prospecting on a pastoral lease. You cannot prospect within 100 metres of any occupied building or within 400 metres of any livestock watering point without the consent of the pastoralist.

  6. Show Respect when on Crown Land
    because it is used or set aside for many purposes, including:
    • pastoral and grazing activities
    • parks and forests
    • the use and benefit of Aboriginal people
    • mining activities

  7. Fill Any Holes
    that you dig and repair ground that has been disturbed.

For further information about prospecting in Western Australia visit Prospecting WA.

Approvals Set Record

An increased focus on online approvals has led to the Department of Mines and Petroleum’s (DMP) achieving record breaking results.

In December, DMP also received its best-ever quarter for tenement approvals, surpassing its target of finalising more than 80 per cent of applications within target timelines.

During the final quarter of 2015 DMP approved:

The peak in performance has been largely credited to DMP’s ongoing commitment to encourage online transactions.

In addition, statistics compiled by DMP’s Mineral Titles Division have revealed that there has been a sharp increase in the number of mining applications which have been determined within the 65 business day target since 2009.

YEAR EXPLORATION LICENCE MINING LEASE PROSPECTING LICENCE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCE GENERAL PURPOSE LEASE
2009 82% 71% 82% 77% 97%
2010 85% 61% 81% 87% 89%
2011 89% 62% 87% 89% 94%
2012 92% 65% 90% 95% 96%
2013 93% 73% 92% 96% 68%
2014 96% 85% 96% 98% 78%
2015 97% 93% 97% 99% 100%

When Every Second Counts - Lodge It Online

Customers Lodge It Online will soon have the ability to undertake all of their business transactions with the Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) online.

The department’s Mineral Titles Online system offers customers the ability to submit Mining Act forms and any associated documentation online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere in the world.

Notification is provided by email upon completion of a submission.

Did you know you can complete the following transactions online?

Tenement Searches

Form Lodgements

Form Re-lodgement

Rental Payments

Documents

By 30 June 2016 Mining Act forms will be available online.

With 65% of all lodgements now made online there has never been a better time to register for online lodgement.

Visit the Mineral Titles Online page to register as a user.