Procedure And Criteria For Issuing Exclusive Prospecting Orders(EPOs),Special Grant and Other Permits

a) Procedure And Criteria For Issuing Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs).

b) Special Grant For Coal And Energy Minerals.

c) Procedure And Criteria For Obtaining Special Grant: Other Minerals (PART XIX).

d) Other Permits Issued By The Ministry.

e) Registration/Renewal as a Custom Milling Center (SI 329,2002; SI 178,2006).

f) Gold Jewellery Permit Requirements.

g) License To Deal In Precious Stones In Particular To Cut And Polish Rough Diamonds.

h) Summary Of Procedures Of Acquiring A Mining Title

i) Details Required In Applying For A Mining Title

Procedure And Criteria For Issuing Exclusive Prospecting Orders (EPOs)

1.1    Application is made to Secretary, Mining Affairs Board who:-

• acknowledges receipt of application by date-stamping and assigning it an application number e.g. EPO 1/09 (or EPO Application No. 1 of 2009), EPO 2/09 denoting the sequence in which they were received and the year received.
• also checks fulfillment of legal requirements of the application.

1.2   Procedures of acquiring an EPO are detailed on the table below:

 

Processing Steps for Exclusive Prospecting Orders

STAGE	RESPONSIBILITY
	MAB Secretariat /Legal Services	Zimbabwe Geological Survey  [ZGS]	MAB chaired by the Permanent Secretary	Minister/ President
1. Application Submission Accepts and assigns Application Number in the format Serial No./Year [eg 01/09…..217/09.] Sends Application copy to ZGS
2.  Application Verification		Checks on: Area for overlaps etc; Work programme Budget Company profile Minerals sought Technical expertise Expected results
3. Application Noting		Recommends Applications to be noted after above assessment.	Based on available information application is NOTED or REJECTED
4. Application Gazettal	Reserves area. Draft General notice sent to Attorney General for checking		Publishes checked notice in Government Gazette for objections within 21 days.
5. Application Consideration	Invites Company to appear before MAB for interview		Interview conducted Consideration for recommendation or rejection made.
6. Application recommendation and Approval	Assigns EPO No. eg 4886…. Prepares Cabinet minute to President, supporting memo and draft General Notice of Order. Draft Notice sent to AG’s Office			General Notice sent to Minister and then to President for APPROVAL or REJECTION.
7. EPO Gazettal	Approved General Notice sent for Gazettal. Approved Order sent to Applicant
8. EPO Work Monitoring	Receives Six-monthly progress reports. Sends copies to ZGS. Evaluates six-monthly reports. Visits exploration sites. Makes recommendations to MAB. Compiles geo-technical data from EPO’s		Accepts or rejects continuation of exploration work.

Mining Affairs Board Criteria For Recommending EPO Applications

1.3 In making the recommendation the Board looks at the following (or should be satisfied with the following):-

• the applicant(s)’ background;
• corporate structure
• that the applicant is a fit and proper person to obtain an Order and is of adequate financial standing to undertake such operations under an EPO;
• that it would not be against national interest to make such an order;
• the applicant’s programme of work; and
• technical expertise;

1.4 The EPO is transferable with recommendations from the President.

Special Grant For Coal And Energy Minerals

Procedure

1.1 Application is made to Secretary, MAB who:-

• acknowledges receipt by date-stamping and assigning it an application no. e.g. SG 1/16, SG2/16, SG3/016 denoting the sequence in which they were received and the year received)
• also checks fulfillment of legal requirements of the application.

Criteria for Recommending Special Grant Applications

1.2 The MAB considers every application brought before it and reports thereon to the Minister with its recommendations, whether the application should be granted or refused.

1.3  In consideration of the application the MAB looks for the following:-

• the background of the applicant(s);
• their programme of work;
• proof of technical expertise;
• whether the  applicant is a fit and proper person to be issued with a special grant;
• the financial status of the applicant; and
• whether it would be in the national interest to issue the special grant.

Procedure And Criteria For Obtaining Special Grant: Other Minerals (PART XIX)

1.1 In terms of Sections 291 up to 296 of the afore mentioned Act, special grants are issued for all minerals except Coal, Mineral Oils and Natural Gas which are issued under part XX of the Act.

 Procedure

1.2  Application is done to the Permanent Secretary through the PMDs.

1.3  Application requirements:

• Completed application form
• Company documents
• Project document
• Location map

Other Permits Issued By The Ministry

1.0  Certificates for Registration as an Approved Prospector

1.1 An applicant should: be 18 years old, a Zimbabwean, pay a non-refundable prescribed application fee.

1.2 The certificate is valid for 5 years from date of issue or renewal unless previously cancelled or suspended Custom milling permits.

Registration/Renewal as a Custom Milling Center (SI 329,2002; SI 178,2006)

1.1 Every Custom Milling Plant must be registered before it can operate. 

1.2 The Custom Milling licenses expire every 31stDecember.

1.3 Renewal of Custom Milling Licenses are done every 12 months to the Mining Commissioner for the district under which they are registered.

1.4 Registration and/ or renewal requirements are as follows: 

 The Custom Mill shall pay a renewal fee that the Ministry shall decide from time to time.

 The Custom Mill shall obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment Certificate (EIA).

 The Mill shall be inspected by the Regional Mining Engineer, Regional Surveyor and Regional Metallurgist approved by the Director for Metallurgy.

1.5  Once the Mill complies with these and other requirements, the Secretary shall issue a Registration or Renewal License whichever the case may be.

Gold Jewellery Permit Requirements

Procedure

• Vetting by Police,
• Inspection of premises by C.I.D,
• Stating of annual weight of gold required &names and addresses of sources of such gold e.g. Fidelity Printers and Refiners,
• Clearance by Jewellery Council of Zimbabwe (applicant becomes a full member of this council),
• Payment of a prescribed annual fee (licence is valid for a year)

License To Deal In Precious Stones In Particular To Cut And Polish Rough Diamonds

Requirements

·                 Vetting by Police,

·                 Inspection of business  premises by C.I.D for suitability & diamond security,

·                 Submission of Certificate of Incorporation and CR 14, Directorship & Shareholding structure,

 

NB. Application for this is made to the Permanent Secretary and the license is valid for 10 years. 

Summary Of Procedures Of Acquiring A Mining Title

License	AREA	Minerals	APPLICANT  REQUIREMENT			Approving authority	Processing	LENGTH OF TENURE
Ordinary /	• 10ha precious	All	Any person above the age of 18 years of  age permanently resident in Zimbabwe A company duly registered in Zimbabwe					2 years
Special	metal/stone • 25ha base metal					Legal	Instant (over the
prospecting						Services	counter)
licence
(IV)
Exclusive	• 65 000ha	All except Coal	Any person			President	3 months	Initial period of 3
Prospecting	• Any defined			Corporate body				years
Order	area (including							Renewable for a
(VI)	Reserved)							maximum period of
								of 3 years
Mining	Amalgamation	All	Holder of RRRRRRRRRrereregistered mining location			Mining	3 months	Perpetual
Lease	of contiguous					Affairs Board		Annual renewal
(VIII)	mining
	location
Special	As Mining	All	Holder of registered mining location			Mining	3 months	Perpetual
Mining	Lease		Investment in Forex exceeding US$100m million			Affairs Board		Annual renewal
Lease IX			Mine output intended mainlyfor export
Special	Any defined	All	Any person			Secretary for	2 months	Perpetual
Grant	area		Area to be situated in reserved ground			Mines and MD		Annual renewal
(XIX)
Special	20 000ha for coal,	Coal,	Any person					Perpetual
Grant under		Mineral	Area to be situated in reserved ground			President	3  months	Annual renewal
Part XX of Act	100 000ha for CBM	Oils,	Intention to mine Coal, Mineral Oils, Natural Gas
(XX)	and Natural Gas	Natural gas	Full information on
			Financial status
			Technical expertise

Details Required In Applying For A Mining Title

TITLE	APPLICATION DET AILS REQUIRED	Approving	PROCESSING
(Part of Act)		Authority	PERIOD
Ordinary /	Full name and address	Legal	Instant (over the
Special	Payment of appropriate fees	Services	counter)
prospecting	For individuals II
licence	o Applicant to be above 18 years
	o National ID Card required
(IV)	For companies – Certificate of registration
Exclusive Prospecting Order (VI)	Proposed works programme	President	3 months
	Area description
	Certificate of incorporation
	Details of Directors
	Company shareholding structure
Mining Lease	List of minerals to be mined	Mining	3 months
(VIII)	Sketch plan of area	Affairs Board
	Details of reef blocks in the area
	List of mining locations contained
	Name and address of land owner
Special Mining	List of minerals to be mined	Mining	3 months
Lease	Sketch plan of area	Affairs Board
(IX)	Details of reef blocks in the area
	List of mining locations contained
	Name and address of land owner
	Development plan
	Operation plan of proposed mine
Special Grant	Sketch plan of area	Secretary for	2 months
(XIX)	Work programme	Mines and MD
Special Grant	Full information of financial status	President	3  months
	Full information of technical expertise
under Part XX	Particulars of guarantees
	Mineral to be mined
	Sketch plan of area
	For a company, full names,
	nationality of directors
	Work programme