Prospecting licences allow prospectors to explore or mine in an area less than 200 hectares and must be marked out unless otherwise specified.
The holder of a prospecting licence may, in accordance with the licence conditions, extract or disturb up to 500 tonnes of material from the ground including overburden, and the Minister for Mines and Petroleum may approve extraction of larger tonnages.
There is no limit to the number of licences a person or company may hold, but security ($5000) is required in respect of each licence. The term of a prospecting licence is four years, with the provision to extend for one further four-year period.
For more information download the document Marking out and applying for a mining tenement.
