Data subject to a mandatory confidentiality period of five years
| Date: | Wednesday, 25 September 2019 |
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Mining and Exploration data is a valuable resource for the State. One of the core business functions of the Geological Survey of Western Australia (GSWA) is to provide pre-competitive geoscience data to the exploration community.
This information reduces financial risk to companies and helps attract new investment to Western Australia.
The data also provides guidance for the development of government policies and land use decisions, making it an important dataset to keep up-to-date.
Some of this information is collected through the submission and release of mineral exploration reports, required under Section 115A of the Mining Act 1978. Section 115A requires data from all exploration activities, conducted during the year, to be submitted annually.
Once data is submitted to the Geological Survey (GSWA) it is subject to a mandatory confidentiality period of five years.
In 1995, an amendment called the Sunset Clause (Regulation 96(4)) was made to the Mining Regulations 1981, which allowed the Minister to release this information after the five year period had lapsed.
GSWA annually advertises the release of this data.
Under Regulation 96(5) the Minister may, upon receipt of an acceptable objection from the holder of a mining tenement, agree to refrain from releasing the information for a further period, not exceeding five years.
The further period of confidentiality granted is at the Minister’s discretion.
