You will require this claim if you intend to conduct small scale mining operations such as prospecting and hand-mining for minerals. You are not allowed to use machinery to prospect, explore or mine on a mining claim, unless your claim has been assessed and granted as a prescribed mining claim. There are 2 categories of licence:
- mining claim - any mineral other than coal and uranium
- prescribed mining claim - limited to corundum, gemstones or other precious stones
You may not need to apply for an environmental authority if you have a relatively low environmental impact and meet the eligibility criteria for small-scale mining activity.
Changes to mining claim applications - Mining claims are being reviewed as part of the draft Queensland resources industry development plan. Read about the proposed changes to mining claims.