Mining Regulations(N.L.R. 42/00)

1. Short title

2. Definition

3. General

4. Development plan

5. Operational plan

6. Annual report on operations

7. Rehabilitation and closure plan

8. Financial assurance

9. Guidelines Short title

1. These regulations may be cited as the Mining Regulations. Definition

2. In these regulations, (a) "Act" means the Mining Act; and (b) "guidelines" means the guidelines prescribed by the minister. General

3. (1) Any report, engineering or geological plan, longitudinal section or cross-section which may be required to be submitted to the minister under the Act, these regulations or the guidelines may, in the discretion of the minister, be required to be approved by a professional geoscientist or engineer and bear his or her stamp or seal. (2) Any plan, report, data or drawing required to be submitted to the minister under the Act, these regulations or the guidelines may be submitted in an electronic format that is acceptable to the minister. Development plan

4. A development plan shall be in the form prescribed in the guidelines and shall include (a) a description of the project, including the anticipated time lines for completion of and the duration of all stages of the project (i) development, (ii) operation, (iii) rehabilitation, and (iv) closure; (b) a surface plan; (c) a description of the mining process; (d) a description of the milling process; and (e) any other information that the minister may require. Operational plan

5. (1) An operational plan shall be submitted to the minister no later than one month before the commencement of the operating year of the lessee. (2) An operational plan shall be in the form prescribed in the guidelines and shall contain (a) an ore reserve statement; (b) a description of the surface and underground exploration work planned for the year; (c) a description of the progressive rehabilitation work planned for the year; (d) with respect to an underground mine, open pit or quarry (i) all development and production mining tonnages scheduled for the year, and (ii) plans showing the locations of all ore and waste to be mined; (e) the planned volume, tonnage and location of waste rock to be placed underground or to a surface area; (f) a schedule of ore to be milled; (g) the volume, tonnage, and location of tailings to be discharged; (h) a listing, with cost estimates and timing, of all major capital expenditures for the year; and (i) the planned number of employees for each department and for the total project.

6. (1) An annual report on operations of a project shall be submitted to the minister no later than 2 months after the end of the operating year of the lessee. (2) An annual report on operations shall be in the form prescribed in the guidelines and shall include (a) a statement of ore reserve at year end; (b) the results of exploration work completed during the year; (c) progressive rehabilitation work completed during the year; (d) for an underground mine, an open pit or quarry (i) all development mining and production mining completed during the year, and (ii) plans showing the locations and tonnages of all ore and waste mined during the year; (e) the volume, tonnage and location of waste rock placed underground or to a surface area; (f) a schedule of ore milled during the year; (g) the volume, tonnage, and location of tailings discharged; (h) a listing, with costs and timing, of all major capital expenditures for the year; and (i) the number of employees for each department and for the total project. Rehabilitation and closure plan

7. (1) The rehabilitation and closure plan shall be in the form prescribed in the guidelines. (2) The rehabilitation and closure plan shall contain (a) a description of work to be done; (b) the detailed scheduling of and cost of all rehabilitation and closure activities; and (c) any other plans as required by the guidelines. (3) The rehabilitation and closure plan shall consider the intended use and ownership of the land after mining or milling has ceased. (4) All areas rehabilitated according to the rehabilitation and closure plan as required by the Act, this section and the guidelines, shall be revegetated. Financial assurance

8. (1) Financial assurance shall be based on the rehabilitation and closure plan. (2) The financial assurance proposal shall be included with the development plan and the rehabilitation and closure plan, and shall include costs for ongoing monitoring and site maintenance. Guidelines

9. The minister may issue guidelines to clarify and illustrate intentions and practical implementation of this regulation and other subordinate legislation under the Mining Act.