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Mining authorisation

Once you have been granted a mineral title, you may need to apply for a separate mining authorisation to conduct activities on the land within the title area.

If your mining activity is likely to cause substantial disturbance of the ground, then you need to apply for mining authorisation.

This requirement applies to any exploration, mining, and extractive activities under the Mining Management Act 2001.

An authorisation gives you permission to carry out the work detailed in your approved mining management plan.

If you have an existing authorisation and want to change mining activities or mining interests, you must apply for a variation in your authorisation.

Read more about mining activities.

What you need

To get an approval, you must submit an application and all of the below:

  • mining and environment management plans
  • information about who will actually do the work
  • a safety management plan
  • copies of insurance certificates
  • material safety data sheets
  • an environmental rehabilitation security calculation form
  • copies of cultural site clearances
  • proof of consultations with stakeholders, for example, landholder or pastoralist agreements.

How to apply

Below are the steps involved when applying for a mining authorisation:

Step 1. Develop a mining management plan (MMP)

You must develop an MMP to the department for assessment.

Step 2. Submit your application with an MMP

If you own the mineral title but another person or company is going to operate the site, you must notify the department using the nomination of an operator form.

Nomination of an operator DOCX (61.4 KB)
Nomination of an operator PDF (180.9 KB)

It is then the operator's responsibility to apply for an authorisation or to vary the current authorisation by filling in the application form.

Application for authorisation DOCX (61.1 KB)
Application for authorisation PDF (178.4 KB)

You must submit the form to the department with a mining management plan.

Step 3. MMP assessment

If the activity in the MMP is expected to have:

  • a significant impact on the environment, it will be referred to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NTEPA) for an environmental impact assessment and minister approval
  • no significant impact on the environment, the department will calculate the payable security.

The department will review your application and mining management plan to assess the potential environmental impacts. You may be asked for more information.

The department’s period for review of the initial information is approximately 30 days.

However, this may be shorter for small operations such as exploration activities or longer for large operations such as complex mining sites.

If no more information is requested, you may expect to see a request for security letter soon after the initial review period.

Step 4. Pay the security

Once your MMP is approved and your authorisation is granted, you will need to pay the calculated security before you can commence any mining activities.

Read more about securities.

After you get approved

You can start the mining activity as per the approved MMP.

Owner responsibilities

If you own the mining site and appoint another company or person to operate the site, you're responsible for making sure the operator is competent and complies with all legal requirements.

You must give the operator all available information to help set up and implement an environmental management system and ensure they have the resources to do so.

Operator responsibilities

The operator for a mining site is responsible for the control and management of the site and all mining activities.

Authority to deal with an agent

To appoint an agent to act on your behalf, notify the department in writing by emailing mineral.info@nt.gov.au.

Secondary approval

An authorisation covers the scope of mining activities approved in the MMP that are to be conducted on site. In some situations, a separate authorisation may be sought for a specific activity.

For example, if an operator doesn't want to be responsible for managing an on-site explosives store, the department would consider granting a separate authorisation to enable another entity to manage the store.

The activity covered by the separate authorisation must be within the scope of the original authorisation and be related to other mining activities on the site.

Process flowchart

Mining authorisation process flowchart