Mining regulation assessment timeframes

Assessment timeframes - environmental (mining) licences

Statutory timeframes for decision-makers apply when they grant environmental (mining) licences under the Environment Protection Act 2019.

The Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security will report against these statutory timeframes.

Assessment timeframes - mining plans and authorisations

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) is responsible for assessing mining management plans (MMPs) and exploration licence (EL) applications.

Mining companies must submit MMPs to carry out mining activities.

MMPs and EL applications must be assessed within a certain timeframe.

To meet this requirement, DITT is measured on how quickly and efficiently it assesses MMPs and assesses and grants EL applications.

The department must:

• assess 85% of all MMPs within 90 days
• assess and grant 85% of all ELs within 9 months.

Every 3 months, the department publishes a report that shows:

• how many MMPs were submitted
• time taken to assess and make a decision
• how many ELs were granted
• time taken to grant.

Mining management plans

Time taken to assess and a decision to be made on approval of mining management plans submitted under the Mining Management Act 2001 for exploration, extractive mineral and mine projects.

Exploration licences

Timeframes to grant exploration licences under the Mineral Titles Act 2010.

Most applications are also subject to either the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) or the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976 (Cth) (ALRA).

Access previous reports below.