❓ A WA parliamentary question probes the Minister for Mines and Petroleum on the enforcement of 'use it or lose it' principles in mining tenements, specifically regarding landbanking, application withdrawals, and forfeiture actions due to unmet expenditure obligations. The Minister supports the principle, denies awareness of landbanking, and provides data on forfeiture applications.
AnsweredQoN 5696Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the requirements of the Mining Act 1978 (WA), that tenement holders must explore the land they hold, and I ask: (a) Does the Minister support the use it or lose it
principle which is a widely accepted tenet of the resources sector from
prospectors to mining giants; (b) As minimum expenditure obligations are designed
to ensure tenement holders are genuine in their efforts to explore their
ground, is the Minister aware of any ‘landbanking’ that is occurring and if so
what is the estimated loss of revenue to the State as a result of this
landbanking; (c) As there is currently no legislative provision
preventing an applicant for a mining tenement from withdrawing the application
and immediately lodging another application over the same ground, can the
Minister advise if this has occurred over the past five years: (i) If yes to (c) how many times has this occurred and at which tenements; and (d) Over the past five years how many plaints have
been lodged over a tenement in the Warden’s Court alleging the holder has not
met its minimum expenditure obligations, requesting that the tenement be
forfeited?
principle which is a widely accepted tenet of the resources sector from
prospectors to mining giants; (b) As minimum expenditure obligations are designed
to ensure tenement holders are genuine in their efforts to explore their
ground, is the Minister aware of any ‘landbanking’ that is occurring and if so
what is the estimated loss of revenue to the State as a result of this
landbanking; (c) As there is currently no legislative provision
preventing an applicant for a mining tenement from withdrawing the application
and immediately lodging another application over the same ground, can the
Minister advise if this has occurred over the past five years: (i) If yes to (c) how many times has this occurred and at which tenements; and (d) Over the past five years how many plaints have
been lodged over a tenement in the Warden’s Court alleging the holder has not
met its minimum expenditure obligations, requesting that the tenement be
forfeited?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 November 2019
Responded by
Minister for Mines and Petroleum
Response time
7 days
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is not aware of an application for an exploration licence being withdrawn and immediately replaced over exactly the same land by the same applicant.
(i) Not Applicable
(d) In the last five calendar years 1486 Applications For Forfeiture (Form 35A) have been lodged:
2019 - 207
2018 - 310
2017 - 283
2016 - 475
2015 - 211
(b) No
(c) The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is not aware of an application for an exploration licence being withdrawn and immediately replaced over exactly the same land by the same applicant.
(i) Not Applicable
(d) In the last five calendar years 1486 Applications For Forfeiture (Form 35A) have been lodged:
2019 - 207
2018 - 310
2017 - 283
2016 - 475
2015 - 211
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