Mining operations are conducted on mining leases. As well as a mining lease, environmental and planning approvals are needed before a mining operation can commence. Mining leases are usually granted for up to five years, but can be granted for 21 years for large operations.
There were 665 leases in force at 30 June 2004. Of these, 34.1% were for stone and 25.3% for gravel. There were 28 leases granted in 2003-04.
LEASES IN FORCE, Tasmania - at 30 June 2004
|
| Number | Area |
| | |
Principal product | | ha |
|
All minerals | 30 | 19,136 |
All minerals and stone | 6 | 5,709 |
Clay | 8 | 92 |
Coal | 3 | 6,314 |
Coal and stone | 1 | 175 |
Copper | 1 | 5 |
Dolerite | 1 | 40 |
Dolomite | 3 | 238 |
Easements | 18 | 285 |
Gold | 16 | 1,535 |
Granite | 4 | 50 |
Gravel | 168 | 3,133 |
Gravel and clay | 2 | 34 |
Lime sand | 4 | 219 |
Limestone | 12 | 1,276 |
Magnesite | 2 | 1,167 |
Magnetite | 1 | 55 |
Nickel | 1 | 400 |
Ochre | 1 | 15 |
Peat | 1 | 9 |
Quartzite | 1 | 191 |
Sand | 53 | 2,181 |
Sand and gravel | 24 | 1,551 |
Sand and stone | 10 | 322 |
Sandstone | 5 | 39 |
Shale | 3 | 35 |
Silica | 5 | 437 |
Silica sand | 1 | 20 |
Silica, sand and stone | 1 | 50 |
Slate | 3 | 165 |
Specimens | 15 | 119 |
Stone | 227 | 5,432 |
Stone and gravel | 24 | 483 |
Storage lease | 1 | 107 |
Tin | 8 | 915 |
Umber | 1 | 6 |
Total | 665 | 51,940 |
Source: Mineral Resources Tasmania, Annual Review 2003-04. |