Licence categories for mining activities
You must hold an environmental mining licence for activities that cause substantial disturbance.
This is required under the Environment Protection Act 2019.
Licensing framework
The Act creates a framework that sets out a 3-tiered, risk-based licensing scheme to support the following mining activities for minerals and extractive minerals:
- exploration
- extractive operations
- mining operations.
The scheme recognises the different level of risks and impacts between these activities.
Get the mining licence framework flowchart.
Category types
The framework provides 3 licence categories you can apply for.
Each licence category is based on the risk and impact of the proposed mining activity to the environment.
The category you can apply for depends on your ability to meet the risk criteria and standard conditions for that activity.
Standard condition licence
- For low-impact, low-risk activities.
- The operator can meet all risk criteria and standard conditions.
Modified condition licence
- For low to medium impact and risk activities.
- The operator can meet the risk criteria, but needs to modify the standard conditions.
Tailored condition licence
- For high-impact and risk activities.
- The operator can't meet the risk criteria or standard conditions, and needs site-specific conditions or
- No risk criteria are declared for the mining activity.
More information
Get the role of risk criteria and standard conditions in environmental licensing (PDF RC&SC flowchart)