You will require this claim if you intend to conduct small scale mining operations such as prospecting and hand-mining for minerals. There are two categories of licence:
- mining claim - any mineral other than coal and uranium
- prescribed mining claim - limited to corundum, gemstones or other precious stones
This licence prohibits the use of machinery to prospect, explore or mine.
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. A moratorium on new mining claim applications is in place from 25 November 2021 until a future policy is finalised. During this time no new mining claim applications will be accepted. Read about the proposed changes to mining claims.
