Mining security and levy

You must pay a security and a levy as a condition of being granted an environmental (mining) licence under the Environment Protection Act 2019.

This is required for:

• a licence to be in effect
• a notice of authority to be issued to begin or continue your mining activity.

You will be advised in writing how much security you need to pay by the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment (DPLE).

Purpose of mining security

The purpose of a mining security is to:

• ensure the mining operator's compliance with the Act, licence and any applicable environmental approval
• cover reasonable costs of the minister or the CEO in addressing environmental harm from any phase of the mining activity
• cover reasonable costs of the minister or the CEO for remediation, rehabilitation or closure of the mining site and any affected areas
• cover reasonable costs of post-closure monitoring, management and reporting.

DPLE sets the amount of the security to reflect the potential cost of rehabilitating the mining site.

The Department of Mining and Energy collects, holds and releases mining securities in line with the Act. This is done on behalf of the:

• Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment and
• Department of Lands, Planning and Environment.

If you can demonstrate successful rehabilitation on your mining site, you may request the refund of some or all of your security.

To see the amount of mining security held for different mining projects, read securities held for mining sites.

How securities are calculated

The minister determines and publishes the methodology for calculating the security amount.

To understand how securities are calculated, read the methodology guideline.

To calculate securities for your mining activity, use the following spreadsheet-based tools:

• exploration operations XLSX (81.3 KB)
• mining operations XLSX (138.6 KB)
• extractive operations XLSX (71.5 KB).

How to pay securities

You can pay the security by cash, cheque, money order, direct debit, credit card or bank guarantee.

To pay by cheque or money order, you must make it payable to the Receiver of Territory Monies (RTM) and post it to:

Department of Mining and Energy
GPO Box 4550
Darwin NT 0801

For direct debit, use the environmental mining licence number as the transaction reference and send to:

Account name: Department of Mining and Energy
Financial institution: National Australia Bank
Branch number (BSB): 085 933
Account number: 72 814 3450

Other types of payment can be made in person from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday at:

Mineral Titles front counter
Level 5 Paspalis Centrepoint building
48-50 Smith Street (Corner of Knuckey Street and Smith Street Mall)
Darwin NT 0800

Bank guarantees

A bank guarantee must:

• be provided by an Australian bank
• be made out in favour of the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment (Northern Territory of Australia) ABN 84 085 734 992
• have no expiry date
• refer to the environmental (mining) licence number as advised by the department.

Do not include titles or project names on the guarantee.

You must also provide proof the guarantee has been signed by an authorised officer of the financial institution and that they have authority to issue the type, form and amount of security.

You can post or present in person your bank guarantee using the details above.

Reference number

All payments must quote the licence number provided by the department to make sure the payment is recorded against your mining activity.

Annual levy

Mining operators must pay an annual levy to fund work to address the environmental impacts left by mines that were not adequately rehabilitated in the past.

The non-refundable levy is equivalent to 1% of the total amount of the security held on 1 July each year for each site authorised under the Environment Protection Act 2019.

How the levy works

The levy is calculated on the amount of the security held for each mine site at 1 July each year.

The amount of the levy will not change during the 12 month period even if the security increases.

What the money is used for

The levy funds go into the Mining Remediation Fund (MRF) to rectify or minimise the environmental impacts of mining sites that were inadequately rehabilitated before mining securities were introduced in 2005, or were otherwise unfunded.

The levy also funds the department's Legacy Mines Unit to undertake remediation work in line with the Legacy Mines Remediation Act 2023.

For more information, read about legacy mines and the MRF.