❓ The WA government confirms that no Exploration Licences have been granted wholly within Class 'A' Reserves or National Parks in the past five years, and no Ministerial Consent has been given for mining within these areas. Partial encroachments are possible but subject to strict conditions.
AnsweredQoN 775Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Have any Exploration Licences been granted in a Class 'A' Reserve or National Park in the past five years and, if so, where and when?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 September 2022
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
10 days
There have been no Exploration Licences granted wholly within either a Class ‘A’ Reserve or National Park in the past five years.
Exploration Licences can only be applied for and granted on a graticular basis, and so the area applied for can therefore include partial encroachments onto Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks. Notwithstanding this, reserved lands are subject to protection and prior to any mining operations occurring within such areas, applicants must receive Ministerial Consent from the Minister for Mines, which requires the concurrence of the Minister for Environment.
Often companies have no intention to undertake operations within the Class ‘A’ Reserve or National Park portion of the Exploration Licence and so it is the exception to seek Ministerial Consent.
I can confirm that there are no instances where Ministerial Consent has been given for mining within Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks. All Exploration Licences granted within the last five years that have such partial encroachments have been granted on the condition that no mining is to occur within Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks.
Exploration Licences can only be applied for and granted on a graticular basis, and so the area applied for can therefore include partial encroachments onto Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks. Notwithstanding this, reserved lands are subject to protection and prior to any mining operations occurring within such areas, applicants must receive Ministerial Consent from the Minister for Mines, which requires the concurrence of the Minister for Environment.
Often companies have no intention to undertake operations within the Class ‘A’ Reserve or National Park portion of the Exploration Licence and so it is the exception to seek Ministerial Consent.
I can confirm that there are no instances where Ministerial Consent has been given for mining within Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks. All Exploration Licences granted within the last five years that have such partial encroachments have been granted on the condition that no mining is to occur within Class ‘A’ Reserves or National Parks.
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