business.gov.au

Exploration licence (offshore) - Queensland

Description

You will need this licence if you intend to conduct mineral exploration activities in Queensland's offshore area, which extends three nautical miles out from the coastal baseline. To undertake exploration activities beyond this area, you will need to apply for a Commonwealth licence.

This licence will authorise you to explore for and take samples of minerals within a specified licence area. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance such as sand, gravel, clay, limestone, rock, evaporate, shale, oil-shale or coal. Your licence may be restricted to particular minerals.

Licence areas are based on a graticular boundary (or block) system. You may apply for this licence over a group of up to 500 blocks. An exploration licence may be granted over a standard block or over a tender block. A standard block is a block which is vacant, where no permit or licence is currently in force. A tender block is a block subject to a tender block licence notice published by the Agency. The application process varies according to whether you are applying for a standard or tender block. To obtain a licence in respect of a tender block, you must successfully pass a competitive tender process.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for this licence, you must:

  • hold the relevant technical qualifications
  • provide any technical advice you have available and maps relating to the blocks
  • have adequate financial resources
  • advertise your application in a newspaper circulating throughout the State within 14 days of making the application.

If your application is successful, you will be provisionally granted a licence. To accept the licence, you must provide the agency with a written acceptance of the grant. You will need to lodge a security and pay the prescribed application fees.

Duration

Up to 4 years

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

Please contact the administering agency for information on fees to be submitted.

Forms

Application process

Apply

You must submit your application to the agency together with supporting documents outlining the details of:

  • the activities that the applicant intends to carry out on the sub-block or sub-blocks covered by the application
  • the amount of money that the applicant intends to spend on those activities
  • the technical qualifications of the applicant and of the applicant's employees who are likely to be involved in activities authorised by the tenure
  • the technical advice available to the applicant
  • the financial resources available to the applicant
  • if the tenure is to be held by more than one person - the share in the tenure that each prospective holder will hold.

Administering agency

Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.