Apply to divide or amalgamate a mineral title

Find information about dividing, amalgamating or cancelling a mineral title below.

Divide a mineral title

If you're the holder of a mineral title, you may apply for the title area to be 'divided' into parts to accommodate such things as joint venture arrangements.

The Minister for Mining and Industry may also divide the title area if there is a sound reason e.g. the creation of a railway or road corridor.

There is no application form but you must make the request in writing. No fees apply.

After division, the existing mineral title number will be retained for one part and new numbers issued for each additional part.

Amalgamate 2 or more mineral titles

If you hold 2 or more mineral titles, you may apply to amalgamate all or part of these titles into a new mineral title.

Any land that is not included in the new title will be automatically cancelled.

If you want to keep the areas that are not being combined, you need to apply for a division of title before submitting an amalgamation application. This is a requirement under section 101 of the Mineral Titles Act 2010.

How to apply

To apply, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the application that applies to you.

Amalgamate a mineral title for exploration

Fill in the application below if you want to amalgamate one of the following:

• an exploration licence
• an exploration licence in retention
• a mineral authority for exploration.

Application to amalgamate a mineral title for exploration  PDF (807.9 KB)
Application to amalgamate a mineral title for exploration DOCX (305.9 KB)

Amalgamate a mineral title for mining

Fill in the application below if you want to amalgamate one of the following:

• an extractive mineral permit
• an extractive mineral lease
• a mineral lease
• a mineral authority corresponding to any of the above.

Application to amalgamate a mineral title for mining PDF (772.1 KB)
Application to amalgamate a mineral title for mining  DOCX (79.7 KB)

Step 2. Submit the application by email, mail or in person to the Mineral Titles Branch.

By mail

GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801
titles.info@nt.gov.au

In person

Mineral Titles Branch
5th floor
Paspalis Centrepoint Building
48-50 Smith Street
The Mall
Darwin NT 0800

After you apply

After amalgamation, a new mineral title will be issued for the replaced area.

Amalgamation of mineral titles on Aboriginal freehold land

The holder of 2 or more adjoining mineral titles can apply for all or part of these titles to be amalgamated.

The Mineral Titles Act 2011 does not discriminate between whether these titles are on native title affected land or Aboriginal freehold land. Read the Mineral Titles Act 2011.

Before the original titles were granted on Aboriginal freehold land, the applicants would have entered into a Deed for Exploration with the relevant land council for that particular area.

Many of these deeds make provision for future changes to the original titles covered by the deed, such as substitutions or amalgamations of titles, as long as the proposed new title area was a part of the original titles.

In the past, a copy of the deed was provided to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade. This practice is no longer in place, so it's not possible for the department to check if the amalgamation of titles is contemplated in the deed.

So when applying to amalgamate all or part of 2 or more adjoining title areas over Aboriginal freehold land, the title holder must also provide one of the following:

• evidence from the deed that this action is permitted such as the definition of what titles are covered by the deed including future grants or substitutions - this information is normally found under Article 1: Definitions
• a letter from the relevant land council stating this action is permitted under the deed.

The evidence or letter must accompany the application to amalgamate.