Application and Consultation process for mining rights: Department of Mineral Resources performance and challenges

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has nine regional offices and three satellite offices. It explained that there were business processes in place to guide the application and consultation process. It emphasised that the primary duty to consult rested with an applicant for a mining permit and a prospecting, exploration, production or mining right. Applications for rights and permits were lodged online using the South African Mineral Resources Administration System (SAMRAD). To assist applicants with the consultation process guidelines and templates were published on the DMR website and on SAMRAD which were reviewed periodically.