Prospecting Licence (WA)
The Prospecting Licence must be marked out pursuant to r59 of the Mining Regulations 1984 and the application is made to the Mining Registrar's office and the term of a Prospecting Licence is 4 years with provision for extension.
The area shall not exceed 200 hectares.
DMIRS guide to Prospecting in Western Australia (PDF)
Refer to s40 to 56B of the Mining Act 1978 as amended, also r11 to r16E of the Mining Regulations 1984 as amended
Refer to regulation 16A for reasons for an extension of term.
Special Prospecting Licence guide (PDF)
- Part IV - Mining tenements Division 1 - Prospecting licences (Mining Regulations 1981)
- Application for Prospecting License (Form 21)
- Expenditure Conditions
- Expenditure Report (Form 5) - Reports to be filed (Act s.51)
- Grounds for Extension
- Application for Extension of Prospecting Licence - Application conditions specified under Act s.45 (1a)
- Application for Retention Status (Act s.53) - Clause 16C
- Application for Special Prospecting License (Act s.56A) - Clause 16E
- Application for Special Prospecting Licence - Application conditions specified under Act s.70
Marking Out and Applying for Mining Tenements (PDF)
Warden's decisions clarifying the process for pegging tenements.
** Aruma Exploration v Stindberg clarifies where the Form 20 can be placed.
**Van Dongen v KML No.2 Pty Ltd 2017 WAMW 17 highlights the areas of in the Mining Act in respect to pegging tenure and previous relevant cases, and concluded the failure to include description of boundaries on Form 20 is a failure to comply with the marking out requirements.
** Crew v Lorentz 2017WAMW 8 demonstrates why new pegs should be used and new trenches dug or it is an invalid application.
** Sargentson v Brewer 2016 WAMW demonstrates why the pegs must be on vacant crown land and not in adjacent tenure, which makes an invalid application.
** Ryan v Brewer 2017 WAMW 9 demonstrates how to treat tenements within the area of your prospecting licence application.