(1) These rules may be called the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017.

(2) These rules shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

These rules shall apply to all minerals, except

(i) petroleum and natural gas;

(ii) coal, lignite and sand for stowing; and

(iii) minor minerals:

Provided that the State Government may by notification extend the application of any of the provisions of these rules, with such modification as may be deemed necessary and appropriate, to minor minerals:

Provided further that the powers and responsibilities to be exercised by the Central Government or the Indian Bureau of Mines in respect of minerals other than minor minerals shall be exercisable by the State Government or State Directorate of Mining and Geology (by whatever named called) or any other authority subordinate to the State Government as may be notified by the State Government while extending the application of these rules to minor minerals.

(1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,

(a) abandonment of mine means the final closure of a mine, either whole or part thereof, when the mineral deposits within the mine or part thereof have been fully extracted or when the mining operations thereon have become uneconomic;

(b) Act means the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957);

(c) authorised officer means (i) an officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines duly authorised in writing by the Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines; or (ii) an officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government to perform the functions under these rules; or (iii) an officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research authorised in writing by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, to perform the functions under these rules in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016;

(d) beneficiation means processing of minerals or ores for the purpose of upgrading the quality, purity or assay grade of the desired product by removing unwanted constituents like gangue minerals or tailings;

(e) calibrated lump ore means the sized ore that is obtained after screening or crushing of the run-of-mine ore;

(f) Chief Controller of Mines means the Chief Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(g) competent authority means the competent authority referred to in Rule 10;

(h) Controller General means the Controller General of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(i) Controller of Mines means the Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(j) cores means the samples of sub-surface rocks or mineralised zone obtained during drilling of boreholes;

(k) development means the driving of an opening to or in an ore-body or seam or removing overburden or unproductive or waste materials as preparatory to mining or stoping;

(l) environment and environmental pollution shall have the same meanings as assigned respectively to them in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986);

(m) final mine closure plan means a plan for the purpose of decommissioning, reclamation and rehabilitation of a mine or part thereof after cessation of mining and mineral processing operations, that has been prepared in the manner specified in the standard format and guidelines issued by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016;

(n) final mine closure means steps taken for reclamation and rehabilitation of a mine or part thereof commencing from cessation of mining or processing operations in a mine or part thereof;

(o) financial assurance means the security or guarantee furnished by the holder of a mining lease in accordance with Rule 27;

(p) Form means a Form set forth in the Schedule;

(q) geologist means a person appointed by the holder of a mineral concession to perform the duties of a geologist under these rules;

(r) mining engineer means a person appointed by the holder of a mineral concession to perform the duties of a mining engineer under these rules;

(s) mineral rejects include all the excavated materials that do not constitute useful material, which may be rejected either on the basis of grade or size;

(t) progressive mine closure plan means a progressive plan for the purpose of providing protective, reclamation and rehabilitation measures in a mine or part thereof that has been prepared in the manner specified in the standard format and guidelines issued by Indian Bureau of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, from time to time;

(u) Regional Controller means the Regional Controller of Mines of the Indian Bureau of Mines;

(v) schedule means the schedule annexed to these rules;

(w) section means a section of the Act;

(x) shaft means a vertical or inclined way or opening leading from the surface to workings below ground or from one part of the workings below ground to another and includes an incline;

(y) stoping means making any underground excavation other than development working made for the purpose of winning ores or minerals and includes extraction or splitting or reduction of pillars or blocks of minerals;

(z) temporary discontinuance means the planned or unplanned suspension of mining operations in a mine or part thereof and where the operations are likely to be resumed not earlier than one hundred and twenty days; and

(za) year means the twelve months period beginning from the first day of April and ending on the thirty-first day of March of the following year.

(2) Words and expressions used but not defined herein shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Act or the rules made thereunder.

RECONNAISSANCE AND PROSPECTING OPERATIONS

(1) Every holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease, shall submit to the Controller General and Regional Controller or the authorised officer a scheme of reconnaissance or prospecting, as the case may, within a period of sixty days from the date of execution of the permit or licence, indicating the manner in which he proposes to carry out the reconnaissance or prospecting operations in the area covered under the permit or licence.

(2) The scheme of reconnaissance or prospecting shall be prepared in the format as may be specified by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, the scheme of reconnaissance or prospecting shall be prepared in the format as may be specified by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(1) A scheme of reconnaissance or prospecting prepared and submitted under Rule 4 may be modified at any time on geological considerations by the holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease or as directed by the Controller General and Regional Controller or the authorised officer, as the case may be, during continuance of the reconnaissance or prospecting operations.

(2) Any modification carried out under sub-rule (1) shall be intimated to the Controller General and Regional Controller or the authorised officer, as the case may be, by the holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease within a period of thirty days of carrying out such modification.

Every holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall carry out the reconnaissance or prospecting operations in accordance with the scheme submitted under Rule 4 or with such modifications, if any, as provided under Rule 5 or as directed by the Controller General and Regional Controller or the authorised officer.

Every holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall send to the Regional Controller or authorised officer and the State Government, an intimation in Form A of the Schedule about the commencement of reconnaissance or prospecting operations, as the case may be, so as to reach them within a period of fifteen days of such commencement.

(1) The holder of a prospecting license or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall allow any authorised officer to examine at any time, the accounts maintained by him and shall furnish to the authorised officer, such information and returns as the authorised officer may require.

(2) The holder of a prospecting license or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall also allow any authorised officer to inspect any prospecting operations carried on by him including the core logs and samples generated during the prospecting operations.

(1) Every holder of a reconnaissance permit or prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall submit to the Regional Controller or the authorised officer, as the case may be, and to the State Government, a yearly report along with Form B of the Schedule so as to reach him within forty-five days after the expiry of twelve months from the date of execution of the relevant prospecting licence deed or the expiry of the prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease, whichever is earlier.

(2) The format of the reporting under sub-rule (1) shall be specified by the Indian Bureau of Mines:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, the format of reporting shall be specified by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(3) Every agency authorised under the second proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 4 shall submit to the State Government and the authorised officer, as the case may be, a yearly report in Form B of the Schedule so as to reach him within forty five days after the expiry of twelve months from the date of commencement of prospecting operations by such agency.

(4) In case the prospecting operations are abandoned, the report along with Form B of the Schedule shall be submitted within a period of thirty days from the date of such abandonment.

(5). The authorised officer, upon receipt of a request made by the holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting licence-cum-mining lease in this regard, shall keep the specified portions of the geological report or data confidential for a period of two years from the date of expiry of the mineral concession, or abandonment of operations or termination of the mineral concession, whichever is earlier.

MINING OPERATIONS

(1) The Controller General or an officer of Indian Bureau of Mines authorised in writing by the Controller General shall be the competent authority to take decisions with respect to a mining plan approved by any officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines, pursuant to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5.

(2) The State Government shall be the competent authority to approve a mining plan required for grant of a mining lease, prepared and certified in accordance with the system established by the State Government pursuant to the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5 and approved by the Central Government:

Provided that the Controller General or an officer of Indian Bureau of Mines authorised in writing by the Controller General shall be the competent authority to take decisions with respect to monitoring and implementation of such mining plans approved by the State Government.

(3) The Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research or an officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research authorised in writing by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research shall be the competent authority to take decisions with respect to a mining plan pursuant to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.

(1) No holder of a mining lease shall commence or carry out mining operations in any area except in accordance with the mining plan approved, modified or reviewed by the Indian Bureau of Mines or prepared and certified in accordance with the system established by the State Government pursuant to the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5 or approved by the competent authority of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.

(2) If the mining operations are not carried out in accordance with the approved or certified mining plan or any information contained in the mining plan is found to be incorrect, misleading or non-compliant with applicable laws including these rules, the competent authority may by order, suspend all or any of the mining operations and permit continuance of only such operations as are required to restore the conditions in the mine as envisaged under the approved or certified mining plan or modified mining plan, for the purpose of restoration to the extent possible:

Provided that the lessee shall be informed in writing about the violation and if the violation is not rectified within a period of forty-five days, a show cause notice shall be issued asking reasons why the mining operations should not be suspended and, further, if no satisfactory reply is received within a period of thirty days, the mining operations shall be suspended:

Provided further that the competent authority may revoke the suspension after compliance by rectifying the violation pointed out in this regard.

(3) Every approved mining plan shall be subjected to review and updation in every five years as per provision of sub-rule (1) of Rule 17 of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbon Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016:

Provided that the review and updation of the approved mining plan every five years shall be as per the norms as specified by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is below the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.

(4) The holder of a mining lease shall submit the mining plan to the competent authority for review at least one hundred and eighty days before the expiry of five years period for which it was approved on the last occasion, for mining operations for a period of five subsequent years.

(1) The prospecting and mining operations shall be carried out in such a manner so as to ensure systematic development of mineral deposits, conservation of minerals and protection of the environment.

(2) The prospecting licence or prospecting licence-cum-mining lease holder shall carry out exploration as per the norms provided in the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015:

Provided that the exploration norms shall be specified by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act.

(3) The holder of a mining lease shall carry out detailed exploration (G1 level) over the entire potentially mineralised area under the mining lease, within a period of five years from the date of opening of the mine after execution of such mining lease.

(4) In the case of existing mining leases detailed exploration (G1 level) over the entire potentially mineralised area under the mining lease shall be carried out within a period of five years from the date of commencement of these rules.

2[(4-A) In case of mining leases covered under sub-section (6) of Section 8-A of the Act where the date of expiry of the period of such lease is on 31st March, 2020, the holders of such mining lease shall carry out General Exploration (G2) over the entire mineralised area under the mining lease before the 1st day of April, 2019 and for this purpose,

(a) submit to State Government and the Indian Bureau of Mines, within forty five days of issue of this notification, a modified mining plan in accordance with the provisions of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016 for completion of General Exploration (G2) over the entire mineralised area under the mining lease as required under clause (a) of Rule 5 of the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, in such manner that the plan for exploration is completed before 1st April, 2019, and such plan shall be approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines within thirty days of its submission, with or without any modification;

(b) prepare and submit to the State Government and the Indian Bureau of Mines, a Geological Study Report as required under clause (b) of Rule 5 of the Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2015, within one month after completion of exploration work:

Provided that the depth of exploration to be proposed in the modified mining plan for open cast mining shall be up to 300 meters or up to discontinuance of ore body, whichever is earlier, and in case of underground mines, the depth of exploration shall be decided by the Indian Bureau of Mines on case to case basis at the time of approval of such plan, depending upon the geological set up of the area:

Provided further that the State Government shall conduct periodical technical audit of approved modified plan either by itself or through an agency nominated by it and in case lease holder fails to perform his duties as so specified, the State Government may, after giving the lease holder an opportunity of being heard, take such action for enforcing compliance, as it deems fit.]

(5) The sampling of drill cores or chips, pit samples and trench samples shall be done for the entire mineralised portion at regular intervals, preferably meter wise or less, and chemical analysis for the major radical shall be done for all the samples.

(6) Mineral resources shall be estimated periodically based on exploration carried out and the resources shall be estimated up to the threshold value of the mineral, as may be notified by Indian Bureau of Mines, from time to time and the updated resources shall be furnished in the Review of the Mining Plan at the interval of five years.

(7) Indian Bureau of Mines shall review the threshold values of minerals periodically in consultation with the stake holders.

(1) In open cast workings, the benches formed shall be so arranged that the benches in ore or mineral and overburden are separate so as to avoid mixing of waste with the ore or minerals.

(2) The benches in overburden shall be kept sufficiently in advance so that their workings do not interfere with the working of ore or minerals.

(3) Orientation of the workings and sequence of mining operations shall be such that different grades of ore or minerals can be obtained simultaneously for blending with a view to achieve optimum recovery of ore or minerals from the deposit.

(1) All the non-saleable or un-usable minerals or ores above the threshold value of the mineral, as may be notified by Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time, or otherwise shall be stacked separately on the ground earmarked for the purpose:

Provided that in case of beach sand mineral deposits comprising of Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Sillimanite, Garnet, Leucoxene, etc., sufficient precautions shall be taken to separate and stack the waste sand or tailings from the associated minerals in order to avoid mixing of waste sand with the associated minerals.

(2) The mineral or ore stock above the limit specified in the threshold values of minerals or otherwise, shall be properly maintained indicating the quantity and quality of all such material stacked, and the month-wise inventory of such materials shall be updated:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, the mineral or ore stock, irrespective of the grade of such atomic minerals whether it is above or below the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 shall be properly maintained indicating the quantity and grade of all such material stacked, and the month-wise inventory of such materials shall be updated and sent to the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research and the Indian Bureau of Mines and the concerned State Government:

Provided further that the lessee shall be required to maintain a month-wise inventory of the accurate material quantity of monazite and other prescribed substances extracted, starting from run of mine to stock yard, which shall be furnished to the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research and the Indian Bureau of Mines and the State Government on a monthly basis.

(3) The overburden and waste material obtained during mining operations shall not be allowed to be mixed with the materials as specified in sub-rule (1).

(4) The ground selected for dumping of overburden, waste material, the sub-grade or non-saleable ores or minerals shall be proved for absence or presence of underlying mineral deposits before it is brought into use for dumping.

(1) Underground mining operations shall be carried out in such a way so as to achieve optimum ore or mineral recovery.

(2) The method of underground development of the deposit shall be planned in accordance with the method of stoping, which shall be selected with due consideration of the geology of the deposit and geo-technical properties of the ore and the adjoining rocks.

(3) The size of development openings, size of blocks and pillars shall be such that the workings remain stable during the development and stoping stages and between such stages.

(4) The stoping practices shall be such as to cause minimum disturbance to the surface.

(5) In case of a doubt as to the optimum ore or mineral recovery under sub-rule (1) or the method of underground development under sub-rule (2), or size of openings, blocks or pillars under sub-rule (3) or the stoping practices under sub-rule (4), it shall be referred to the Chief Controller of Mines for decision.

(6) The Chief Controller of Mines may order such investigations and tests to be carried out as are considered necessary before arriving at a decision on any matter referred to him under sub-rule (5).

(7) As far as practicable the complete width of the ore or mineral body shall be worked:

Provided that the Chief Controller of Mines may permit in writing, leaving of certain portions in underground if it is necessary for support or protection to the mine workings.

(1) All the sub-grade ore or minerals wherever obtained from underground workings shall be brought to the surface instead of leaving or packing them underground, which shall be stacked separately at the earmarked place.

All the blocks formed in underground workings shall be regular in size and shape and once a block is formed, it shall not be split or reduced in size until the stage of commencement of stoping:

Provided that the Chief Controller of Mines may permit reduction in the size of blocks on an application in writing made by the holder of the mining lease giving reasons for doing the same.

(1) If the Controller General or an authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, having due regard to the nature of mining operations and grade of ore or mineral is of the view that the sub-grade ore or mineral contains certain recoverable product, he may direct the holder of the mining lease to get the beneficiation investigations carried out from a laboratory accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration or an International Organization for Standardization laboratory approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(2) The report of the beneficiation investigations so carried out under sub-rule (1) shall be submitted to the Controller General or an authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, immediately after the investigation is over.

(3) In a mine having a beneficiation plant, feed products and tailings shall be regularly sampled and analysed at suitable intervals and records of the same maintained:

Provided that the Controller General or an authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, may require the sampling and analysis to be done at any other interval than in practice from a laboratory accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration or an International Organization for Standardization laboratory approved by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research:

(4) The Controller General or an authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, may carryout periodic process audit of the beneficiation plants to assess the possibility of further improvements in the beneficiation process.

(1) Where heavy earth moving machinery is used in mines, the holder of a mining lease shall maintain log books duly authenticated by the manager or mining engineer of such mines in respect of each machine showing date-wise account of hours worked, hours not worked, reasons for non-working, consumption of fuel or energy and lubricants and output of the machine during the corresponding working hours.

(2) The summary of operation of each machine shall be recorded in the log book at the end of each month bringing out the percentage availability and percentage utilisation of the machine, average hourly performance and average fuel or energy consumption per hour.

(3) The log books may be maintained in electronic form or in hard copy and shall be made available to the authorised officer on demand.

(1) The holder of a mining lease shall send to the authorised officer, as the case may be, an intimation in Form C of the Schedule of the opening of a mine so as to reach them within fifteen days of such opening, which shall be accompanied with a copy of the approved mining plan, in case the mine is being opened after a lapse of five years period from the date of approval of the mining plan.

(1) The holder of a mining lease shall not abandon a mine during the subsistence of the lease except with the prior permission in writing of the authorised officer, as the case may be.

(2) The holder of a mining lease shall send to the authorised officer, as the case may be, a notice in Form D of the Schedule of his intention to abandon a mine so as to reach them at least ninety days before the intended date of such abandonment, which shall be accompanied by plans and sections on a scale as specified in Rule 31 setting forth accurately the work done in the mine up to the time of submission of the notice including the measures envisaged for the protection of the abandoned mine or part thereof, the approaches thereto and the environment:

Provided that the authorised officer, as the case may be, may require the plans and sections to be prepared on any other suitable scale.

(3) The authorised officer, as the case may be, may by an order in writing made before the proposed date of abandonment, prohibit abandonment or allow it to be done with such conditions as he may specify in the order.

(4) The holder of a mining lease shall not abandon a mine unless a final mine closure plan duly approved by the competent authority, is implemented, and for this purpose, the lessee shall be required to obtain a certificate from the authorised officer, as the case may be, to the effect that protective, reclamation and rehabilitation work in accordance with the final mine closure plan or with such modifications as approved by the competent authority have been carried out before abandonment of mine.

(5) The holder of a mining lease shall continue to be liable to provide the financial assurance and pay for any expenditure over and above the performance security incurred by the State Government towards protective reclamation and rehabilitation measures in the leased area of the mining lease.

(1) Every mine shall have mine closure plans, which shall be of two types; namely

(i) a progressive mine closure plan; and

(ii) a final mine closure plan.

(3) Every holder of a mining lease shall take steps to prepare mine closure plans as per the guidelines and format given by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time:

Provided that where the State Government has set up a system for preparation, certification and monitoring of mining plan pursuant to the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5, such guidelines and formats shall be prescribed by the State Government:

Provided further that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, such guidelines and formats shall be prepared in the format as may be specified by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

The holder of a mining lease shall submit to the competent authority a progressive mine closure plan as a component of the mining plan, at the time of submission, modification and review of the mining plan.

(1) The holder of a mining lease shall submit a final mine closure plan to the competent authority for approval two years prior to the proposed closure of the mine.

(3) The competent authority shall convey his approval or refusal of the final mine closure plan within ninety days of the date of its receipt to the holder of the mining lease.

(1) The holder of a mining lease desirous of seeking modifications in the approved mine closure plan, shall submit to the competent authority for approval setting forth the intended modifications and explaining the reasons for such modifications.

(3) The competent authority may approve the modifications as submitted under clause (1), or approve with such alterations as he may consider expedient.

(1) The holder of a mining lease shall have the responsibility to ensure that the protective measures including reclamation and rehabilitation works have been carried out in accordance with the approved mine closure plan or with such modifications as approved by the competent authority.

(2) The holder of mining lease shall submit to the competent authority a yearly report as per the format specified by the Indian Bureau of Mines, before 1st day of July every year setting forth the extent of protective and rehabilitative works carried out as envisaged in the approved mine closure plan, and if there is any deviation, reasons thereof:

Provided that where the State Government has set up a system for preparation, certification and monitoring of mining plan pursuant to the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 5, such format shall be prescribed by the State Government:

Provided further that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, such format shall be prescribed by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(1) A financial assurance shall be furnished by the holder of the mining lease, for due and proper implementation of the progressive mine closure plan contained in the mining plan or the final mine closure plan, as the case may be, which shall be an amount of three lakh rupees for Category A mines and two lakh rupees for Category B mines, per hectare of the mining lease area put to use for mining and allied activities:

Provided that the minimum amount of financial assurance to be furnished under sub-rule (1), shall be ten lakh rupees for Category A mines and five lakh rupees for Category B mines:

Provided further that the provisions of sub-rule (1) shall not be applicable for a mining lease granted through the auction or the mining lease granted under the provisions of clause (b) or clause (c) of sub-section (2) of Section 10-A, wherein the Mine Development and Production Agreement has been signed between the lessee and the State Government.

(2) Where financial assurance is required to be furnished by the holder of the mining lease under sub-rule (1), such amount of financial assurance shall be submitted to the authorised officer, as the case may be, in the form of a bank guarantee in the format specified by the Indian Bureau of Mines:

Provided that where financial assurance has already been furnished before the commencement of these rules, an amount equal to the difference between the financial assurance due as on the date of notification of these rules and the financial assurance already furnished, shall be furnished to the authorised officer, as the case may be, within a period of ninety days from the date of notification of these rules:

Provided further that the holder of a mining lease shall be required to enhance the amount of financial assurance with the increase in the area of mining and allied activities:

Provided also that where a leaseholder undertakes reclamation and rehabilitation measures as part of the progressive closure of mine, the amount so spent shall be reckoned as sum of the financial assurance already spent by the leaseholder and the total amount of financial assurance, to be furnished by the lessee, shall be reduced to that extent.

(3) Release of financial assurance shall be effective upon the notice given by the lessee for the satisfactory compliance of the provisions contained in the final mine closure plan and certified by the authorised officer, as the case may be.

(4) If the authorised officer, as the case may be, has reasonable grounds for believing that the protective, reclamation and rehabilitation measures as envisaged in the progressive mine closure plan contained in the approved mining plan or the final mine closure plan, in respect of which financial assurance was furnished, has not been or will not be carried out in accordance with the mining plan or the final mine closure plan, either fully or partially, the authorised officer, as the case may be, shall give the lessee a written notice of his intention to issue the orders for forfeiting the sum assured at least thirty days prior to the date of the order to be issued.

(5) Within thirty days of the receipt of notice referred to in sub-rule (4), if no satisfactory reply has been received in writing from the lessee, the authorised officer, as the case may be, shall pass an order for forfeiting the surety amount and a copy of such order shall be endorsed to the concerned State Government.

(6) Upon the issuance of order by the authorised officer, as the case may be, the concerned State Government may realise the bank guarantee provided or obtained as financial assurance for the purpose of performance of protective, reclamation, rehabilitation measures and shall carry out those measures, or appoint an agent to do so.

(1) Subject to the provisions of Section 4-A, the holder of a mining lease shall send to the authorised officer, as the case may be, and the State Government a notice in Form E when the mining or mineral processing operations in the mine or part thereof are discontinued for a period exceeding ninety days so as to reach them within one hundred and twenty days from the date of such temporary discontinuance.

(2) Where the discontinuance takes place as a result of the occurrence of a natural calamity beyond the control of the holder of a mining lease or in compliance with any order or directions issued by any statutory authority established under any law in force or any tribunal or a court, a notice shall be submitted to the authorised officer, as the case may be, within a period of fifteen days of such discontinuance in Form E.

(3) During the temporary discontinuation of a mine or part thereof, it shall be the responsibility of the holder of a mining lease to

(a) comply with the reasonable prohibitive measures to restrict access for unauthorised entry;

(b) provide protective measures to potentially danger sources of electrical and mechanical installations, and the mine openings or workings and all other structures;

(c) ensure that all contaminated effluents are controlled and all physical, chemical, biological monitoring programmes are continued;

(d) ensure that all rock piles, over burden piles and stock piles and tailings, and other water impoundment structure are maintained in stable and safe conditions.

The holder of a mining lease shall send to the authorised officer, as the case may be, and the State Government an intimation in Form C of the Schedule of reopening of a mine after temporary discontinuance, so as to reach them within fifteen days from the date of such reopening.

(1) No stoping shall be commenced, conducted or carried out except with prior permission in writing of the competent authority.

(2) The holder of a mining lease shall send to the authorised officer, as the case may be, and the State Government a notice in Form F of the Schedule intimating his intention to commence the stoping of any vein, lode, reef or mineral deposit, so as to reach them at least sixty days before the date of commencement of such operations.

(3) Such notice shall be accompanied by plans and sections on a scale of not less than 1 cm = 10 meters showing the details of the block proposed to be stoped, the manner of stoping and the mineralised and barren zones indicating estimated percentages recovery from stopes:

Provided that the authorised officer, as the case may be, by an order in writing and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, permit or require the plans and sections to be prepared on any other suitable scale.

(4) The authorised officer, as the case may be, may by an order made before the proposed date of commencement of stoping operations, prohibit the stoping or allow it to be done under such conditions as may be specified in such order.

PLANS AND SECTIONS

(1) Every plan or section prepared or submitted in accordance with the provisions of these rules shall

(a) show the name of the mine and of the holder of the mining lease and the purpose for which the plan or section is prepared;

(b) show the true north or the magnetic meridian and the date of the letter;

(c) show a scale of the plan at least twenty-five centimeters long and suitably sub-divided;

(d) unless otherwise provided, be on a scale having a representative factor of

(i) 1:500 in case of mines having small-scale workings;

(ii) 1:2000 in case of mines having large open cast working and also in case of surface plans of large leasehold areas; and

(iii) 1:1000 in other cases:

Provided that the competent authority may, by an order in writing and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, permit or require the plans to be prepared on any other suitable scale;

(e) be digitally prepared in the format as may be specified by the Indian Bureau of Mines.

(2) The conventions provided under the Metalliferous Mines Regulations, 1961, shall be used in preparing all plans and sections required under these rules.

(3) The plans and sections shall be accurate within such limits of error as the Controller General may specify by a general or special order.

(4) The plans and sections required under these rules shall be maintained up to date within three months in case of category A mines as referred to in clause (a) of sub-rule (2) of Rule 55, and within twelve months in the case of any other mine.

(1) The holder of a mining lease shall keep the following digitally prepared plans and sections, namely

(a) a surface plan showing location and number of the boundary pillars along with its latitude and longitude values, every surface feature within the mining lease boundaries, such as building, telephone, power transmission line, water pipeline, tramline, railway, road, river, water-course, reservoir, tank, bore-hole, shaft and incline opening, opencast working, dumps and dumping ground, the waste land, forest, sanctuaries, agricultural land and grazing land and subsidence on the surface beneficiation plants, tailing ponds and other workings within the lease;

(b) a surface geological plan of the area of leasehold showing

(i) all the lithological units exposed in the area, in the pits, trenches and in any other openings made for prospecting and mining operations showing contact between lithological units;

(ii) structural details like strike, dip, fold, fault, plunge of ore body;

(iii) location of prospecting pits, trenches, boreholes and any other openings made for prospecting or mining operations;

(iv) existing mine workings, dumps, stacks of ore;

(v) section lines at regular intervals from one boundary to the other of the lease;

(vi) contour at not more than ten metres interval;

(vii) exploration limits such as G1, G2, G3 and G4 as per the United Nations Framework Classification;

(c) a transverse section or sections of the workings through the shaft or shafts and main adits indicating clearly the strike and dip of the vein, lode, reef, mineral bed or deposit at different points, and such sections of the strata sunk or driven through in the mine or proved by boreholes, as may be available;

(d) a longitudinal mine section or sections showing a vertical projection of the mine workings including outlines of all stoped out areas, where a reef, vein, lode or mineral bed or deposit or part thereof has dip exceeding thirty degrees from the horizontal plane:

Provided that, with the permission in writing of the competent authority and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, such sections may be prepared in relation to any other suitable plane;

(e) an underground plan, applicable for underground mines, showing

(i) the position of the workings of the mine below ground;

(ii) every borehole and shaft (with depth), drive, cross-cut, winze, raise, excavation (stoped ground) and every tunnel and air passage connected therewith;

(iii) every pillar or block of mineral left for the support of any structure on the surface; and underground magazines, if any;

(iv) the general strike of the veins, lodes, reefs and mineral beds or deposits;

(v) the position of every dyke, fault and other geological disturbance with the amount and direction of throw.

(2) Whenever the underground plan referred to in clause (e) of sub-rule (1) is brought up-to-date, the then position of the workings shall be shown by a dotted line drawn through the ends of the workings, and such dotted line shall be marked with the date of the last survey:

Provided that the competent authority may, by an order in writing and subject to such conditions as he may specify therein, approve any other method of showing the up-to-date position of the workings of the mine.

(3) Where different reefs, lodes, veins or mineral beds or deposits overlie or run parallel to one another, the workings of each reef, lode, vein or mineral bed or deposit shall be shown on separate plan or longitudinal section or sections:

Provided that if two reefs, lodes, veins or mineral beds or deposits are so situated in relation to each other that the parting between workings made therein is less than ten meters at any place, such workings shall also be shown on a combined plan or longitudinal section, as the case may be, in different colours.

(4) The plans kept under clauses (a) and (e) of sub-rule (1) shall also show the settled boundary of the mining lease, or where the boundary is in dispute, the boundaries claimed by the holder of the mining lease and by the holders of the mining lease adjacent to the disputed boundary:

Provided that where it is not possible to show the complete boundary of leasehold on the same plan an additional key plan on any other suitable scale showing such boundaries and the outline of the workings shall also be maintained.

(5) The holder of a mining lease shall keep the following, namely

(a) a key plan on a scale of 1: 50,000 incorporating the following:

i. an administrative surface map showing the boundary of the mining lease, and the adjoining area lying preferably within five kilometres thereof;

ii. contours at not more than twenty meters intervals;

iii. natural drainage system such as rivers, streams, nalahs, water reservoirs, ponds, lakes, irrigation dams and canals;

iv. roadways and railways;

v. places of historical and archaeological importance, monuments, places of worship, pilgrimage and of tourist interest;

vi. forests with tree density, sanctuaries, wastelands, agricultural lands, grazing lands;

vii. boundaries of all villages and towns with their population;

viii. predominant wind direction;

ix. any other relevant features:

Provided that where topographical map is classified as restricted, the particulars referred to in items (i) to (ix) shall be incorporated in the key plan to the extent available in the administrative surface maps;

(b) an environment plan of the area of mining lease inclusive of the adjoining area within five hundred meters of the boundary of a lease area on 1: 5000 scale incorporating the following:

(i) an administrative surface map showing the boundary of the mining lease;

(ii) contour lines at five meters intervals;

(iii) all features indicated in sub-clauses (iii) to (viii) of clause (a) above;

(iv) area occupied by mine workings, area deforested, area covered by dump with the height of the dump, processing plant, surface building, workshop, mining township;

(v) area reclaimed and area afforested, location of protective barriers, check dams erected to contain solid and liquid effluents generated by prospecting, mining, beneficiation or metallurgical operations carried out in the mine;

(vi) all pumping stations and the courses of discharge of mine water;

(vii) any other relevant features:

Provided that the particulars with regard to items (ii), (iv) and (v) shall be applicable only up to sixty meters beyond the boundary of lease area.

(6) The competent authority may, by an order in writing, require such additional details to be shown on the plans and sections required to be kept under these rules or the preparation and maintenance of such plans and sections showing such details and on such scale and within such time as he may specify in the order.

(7) The competent authority may, by an order in writing, require the holder of a mining lease to provide him within such time, such plans and sections, or tracings thereof, as he may specify in the order.

The holder of a mining lease shall, on or before the 30th day of June every year submit to the authorised officer, as the case may be, and the State Government, a digital copy along with a print copy of the surface geological plans and sections maintained under Rule 32.

(1) All digitally prepared plans, sections and print copies thereof kept at the mine shall be suitably indexed.

(2) Every plan, section or part thereof prepared under these rules shall carry thereon a certificate for its correctness and shall be signed by the mining engineer with date:

Provided that the geological plans and sections shall be certified and signed by the geologist employed under Rule 55.

(3) Every copy of a plan and section or part thereof submitted or maintained under these rules shall bear a reference to the original plan or section from which it was copied and shall be certified thereon by the holder of the mining lease to be a true copy of the original plan or section.

SUSTAINABLE MINING

(1) Every holder of a mining lease shall take all possible precautions for undertaking sustainable mining while conducting prospecting, mining, beneficiation or metallurgical operations in the area.

(2) Every holder of a mining lease shall monitor his mining and allied activities as per the notified template of star rating in the format prescribed in this behalf by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time to time, and shall submit online its self-assessment report before the 1st day of July every year for the previous financial year, along with the soft copy (in the standard format), of high resolution satellite images obtained from CARTOSAT-2 satellite LISS-IV sensor on the scale of cadastral map, as on the 31st day of March for that financial year, covering the mining lease and an area of two kilometres. from the lease boundary, to the Regional Controller or the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines.

(3) The confirmation of the star rating may be done by the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines through inspection.

(4) The Regional Controller or the authorised officer of the Indian Bureau of Mines may suspend the mining operations in those mines where at least four star rating has not been achieved within a period of two years from the date of notification of these rules or two years from the date of commencement of mining operations, as the case may be, after giving a show cause notice of forty-five days, to qualify for star rating.

(5) The suspension shall be revoked only after verification through inspection of compliance of the star rating requirement specified in sub-rule (4) that the mine qualifies for four star rating:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, the action for confirmation and compliance of star rating as provided in sub-rules (3), (4) and (5) shall be taken by the authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(1) Every holder of a prospecting licence, prospecting license-cum-mining lease or a mining lease shall, wherever top soil exists and is to be excavated for prospecting or mining operations, remove it separately.

(2) The top soil so removed shall be utilised for restoration or rehabilitation of the land which is no longer required for prospecting or mining operations or for stabilising or landscaping the external dumps.

(3) Whenever the top soil is unable to be utilised concurrently, it shall be stored separately for future use.

(1) Every holder of a prospecting licence, prospecting license cum mining lease or a mining lease shall take steps so that the overburden, waste rock, rejects and fines generated during prospecting and mining operations or tailings, slimes and fines produced during sizing, sorting and beneficiation or metallurgical operations shall be stored in separate dumps.

(2) The dumps shall be properly secured to prevent escape of material therefrom in harmful quantities which may cause degradation of environment and to prevent causation of floods.

(3) The site for dumps, tailings or slimes shall be selected as far as possible on impervious ground to ensure minimum leaching effects due to precipitations.

(4) Wherever possible, materials such as waste rock and overburden shall be back-filled into the mine excavations with a view to restoring the land to its original use as far as possible.

(5) Wherever back-filling of waste rock in the area excavated during mining operations is not feasible, the waste dumps shall be suitably terraced and stabilized through vegetation or otherwise.

(6) The fines, rejects or tailings from mine, beneficiation or metallurgical plants shall be deposited and disposed in a specially prepared tailings disposal area such that they are not allowed to flow away and cause land degradation or damage to agricultural field, pollution of surface water bodies and ground water or cause floods.

Whenever any damage to public buildings or monuments is apprehended due to their proximity to the mining lease area, the holder of the mining lease shall carry out scientific investigations so as to keep the ground vibrations caused by blasting operations within safe limit.

Stoping in underground mines shall be so carried out as to keep surface subsidence under control.

Every holder of prospecting licence or a mining lease shall take all possible measure to keep air pollution due to fines, dust, smoke or gaseous emissions during prospecting, mining, beneficiation or metallurgical operations and related activities within permissible limits.

(1) Every holder of prospecting licence, prospecting licence cum mining lease or a mining lease shall take all possible precautions to prevent or reduce the discharge of toxic and objectionable liquid effluents from mine, workshop, beneficiation or metallurgical plants, tailing ponds, into surface water bodies, ground water aquifer and useable lands, to a minimum.

(2) The effluents referred to in sub-rule (1) shall be suitably treated, if required, to conform to the standards laid down in this regard.

The holder of prospecting licence, prospecting license cum mining lease or a mining lease shall take all possible measure to control or abate noise arising out of prospecting, mining, beneficiation or metallurgical operations at the source so as to keep it within the permissible limits.

The standards and permissible limits of all pollutants, toxins and noise referred to in Rules 40, 41 and 42 shall be such as may be notified by the concerned authorities under the provisions of the relevant laws for the time being in force.

Every holder of prospecting licence, prospecting license cum mining lease or a mining lease shall carry out prospecting or mining operations, as the case may be, in accordance with applicable laws and in such a manner so as to cause least damage to the flora of the area held under prospecting licence, prospecting license-cum-mining lease or mining lease and the nearby areas.

NOTICES AND RETURNS

(1) The holder of a mining lease, or any person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals mined in the country, shall cause himself to be registered online with the Indian Bureau of Mines as per application specified in Form K of the Schedule and the registration number so allotted by the Indian Bureau of Mines shall be used for all purposes of online reporting and correspondence connected therewith.

(2) For the purpose of registration under sub-rule (1), the holder of a mining lease, or any person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, shall apply for registration in electronic form, within one month from the date of registration of the lease deed or before the commencement of trading operation or storage or end-use or export of minerals, as the case may be.

(3) The Indian Bureau of Mines shall allot and record the registration number in the register referred to in sub-rule (4).

(4) The Indian Bureau of Mines shall maintain an online register giving details of the holder of a mining lease, or any person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, as the case may be, as registered under the provisions of these rules, which shall be made available to the general public for inspection on demand, and also posted on the website of the Indian Bureau of Mines.

(5) The holder of a mining lease shall submit online returns in respect of each mine to the Regional Controller or any other authorised official of the Indian Bureau of Mines in the following manner, namely

(a) a daily return which shall be submitted through in electronic form through the application developed by the Indian Bureau of Mines, by 1800 hours of the third day following the day of reporting, which may be edited before the time deadline provided in this regard;

(b) a monthly return which shall be submitted before the tenth day of every month in respect of the preceding month in electronic form along with a signed print copy of the same if it is not digitally signed, in the respective form as indicated below

i. for all minerals except copper, gold, lead, pyrite, tin, tungsten, zinc, precious and semi-precious stones, in Form F1 of the Schedule;

ii. for copper, gold, lead, pyrite, tin, tungsten and zinc, in Form F2 of the Schedule; and iii. for precious and semi-precious stones, in Form F3 of the Schedule;

(c) an annual return which shall be submitted before the 1st day of July each year for the preceding financial year in electronic form, along with a signed print copy of the same if it is not digitally signed, in the respective Form as indicated below

(i) for all minerals except copper, gold, lead, pyrite, tin, tungsten, zinc, precious and semi-precious stones, in Form G1 of the Schedule;

(ii) for copper, gold, lead, pyrite, tin, tungsten and zinc, in Form G2 of the Schedule;

(iii) for precious and semi-precious stones, in Form G3 of the Schedule:

Provided that in the case of abandonment of a mine, the annual return shall be submitted within one hundred and fifty days from the date of abandonment.

(6) Any person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, shall submit online to the Indian Bureau of Mines and concerned State Government, where the said person or company is sourcing the minerals, the returns in electronic form, along with a print copy of the same if it is not digitally signed, in the following manner, namely

(a) a monthly return which shall be submitted before the tenth day of every month in respect of the preceding month in Form L of the Schedule;

(b) an annual return which shall be submitted before the first day of July of each year for the preceding financial year in Form M of the Schedule.

(7) If it is found that the holder of a mining lease or the person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, as the case may be, has submitted incomplete or wrong or false information in daily or monthly or annual returns or fails to submit a return within the date specified; then,

(a) in the case of mining of minerals by the holder of a mining lease, the Regional Controller of Mines may advise the State Government to,

(i) order suspension of all mining operations in the mine and to revoke the order of suspension only after ensuring proper compliance;

(ii) take action to initiate prosecution under these rules;

(iii) recommend termination of the mining lease, in case such suppression or misrepresentation of information indicates abetment or connivance of illegal mining;

(b) in the case of trading or storage or end-use of minerals, the State Government, where the person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use of minerals is sourcing the minerals, shall order suspension of

(i) trading licence (by whatever name it is called);

(ii) all transportation permits issued to such person or company for mineral transportation (by whatever name it is called);

(iii) storage licence for stocking minerals (by whatever name it is called);

(iv) permits for end-use industry of minerals (by whatever name it is called);

as the case may be, of such person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use of minerals, and may revoke the order of suspension only after ensuring proper compliance;

(c) in the case of export of minerals, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade shall order suspension of permits for carrying out such exports of minerals of such person or company engaged in export of minerals, and may revoke the order of suspension only after ensuring proper compliance:

Provided that the holder of a mining lease or the person of company engaged in trading of storage or end user or export of minerals, as the case may be, referred to in clause (a), (b) and (c) above, shall be informed in writing about the violation and if the violation is not rectified within a period of forty-five days, a show cause notice shall be given asking reasons why the mining operations should not be suspended and, further, if no satisfactory reply is received within a period of thirty days, the mining operations may be suspended.

(8) In case of mining of minerals by the holder of a mining lease, the

(a) sale value is the gross amount payable by the purchaser as indicated in the sale invoice, where the sale transaction is on an arms' length basis and the price is the sole consideration for the sale, excluding taxes, if any.

Explanation. For the purpose of computing sale value, no deduction from the gross amount shall be made in respect of royalty, payments to the District Mineral Foundation and payments to the National Mineral Exploration Trust;

(b) ex-mine price of mineral grade or concentrate shall be,

(I) where export has occurred, the total of, sale value on free-on-board (F.O.B) basis, less the actual expenditure incurred beyond the mining lease area towards

(i) transportation charges by road;

(ii) loading and unloading charges;

(iii) railway freight (if applicable);

(iv) port handling charges or export duty;

(v) charges for sampling and analysis;

(vi) rent for the plot at the stocking yard;

(vii) handling charges in port;

(viii) charges for stevedoring and trimming;

(ix) any other incidental charges incurred outside the mining lease area as notified by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time-to-time, divided by the total quantity exported;

(II) where domestic sale of mineral has occurred, the total of sale value of the mineral, less the actual expenditure incurred towards loading, unloading, transportation, rent for the plot at the stocking yard, charges for sampling and analysis and any other charges beyond mining lease area as notified by the Indian Bureau of Mines from time-to-time, divided by the total quantity sold;

(III) where sale has occurred, between related parties and is not on arms' length basis, then such sale shall not be recognised as a sale for the purposes of this rule and in such case, sub-clause (IV) shall be applicable;

(IV) where the sale has not occurred, the average sale price published monthly by the Indian Bureau of Mines for that mineral grade or concentrate for a particular State:

Provided that if for a particular mineral grade or concentrate, the information for a State for a particular month is not published by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the last available information published for that mineral grade or concentrate for that particular State by the Indian Bureau of Mines in the last six months previous to the reporting month shall be referred, failing which the latest information for all India for the mineral grade or concentrate, shall be referred;

(V) the per unit cost of production in case of captive mines.

(9) In case of trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, for purpose of filing of returns, the value of the mineral grade or concentrate shall be,

(a) where sale of the mineral grade or concentrate has occurred and the sale transaction is on an arms' length basis and the price is the sole consideration for the sale, the sale value of the mineral grade or concentrate recorded in the invoice;

(b) where sale has not occurred, the product of average sale price published monthly by the Indian Bureau of Mines for a particular mineral grade or concentrate for a particular State and the quantity dispatched or procured:

Provided that if for a particular mineral grade or concentrate, the information for a State for a particular month is not published by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the last available information published for that mineral grade or concentrate for that particular State by the Indian Bureau of Mines in the last six months previous to the reporting month shall be referred, failing which the latest information for all India for the mineral grade or concentrate, shall be referred.

(10) If more than one mineral is produced from the same mine, return shall be submitted along with the relevant parts of the specified forms for each mineral separately.

(11) In case of temporary discontinuance of mining or suspension of mining, or temporary discontinuance or suspension of trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, the holder of a mining lease, or the person or company engaged in trading or storage or end-use or export of minerals, as the case may be, shall submit return in the specified form for the mineral for which return had been submitted earlier and furnish relevant particulars, inclusive of Nil information, if any.

(12) In case ownership of the mine or the trading or storage or end-use or export company changes during the reference period, separate returns shall be filed by each owner for the respective periods of ownership.

(13) For the purpose of regulation of transportation of minerals, all persons and companies owning trucks or any other motorised vehicle used for transportation of mineral by road or through water way shall be required to be registered with the Directorate of Mining and Geology or the Department handling mining matters in the State Government, and the lessee shall maintain trip-sheets (either in the form of written record or on computers) of the vehicles, the nature and weight of mineral and the approximate time of the trip and its destination.

The holder of the prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease or the mining lease shall,

(a) when any new appointment of an agent, mining engineer, geologist or any person is made under sub-rule (1) of Rule 55; or

(b) when the employment of any such person is terminated or any such person leaves the said employment; or

(c) when any change occurs in the address of any such person, within fifteen days from the date of such appointment, termination, leaving or change in address, give a notice in Form H of the Schedule to the authorised officer, as the case may be.

The holder of a mining lease or the holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease shall send an intimation in Form I of the Schedule to the authorised officer, as the case may be, within fifteen days after the commencement of any of the following operations, namely

(a) the sinking of trial shaft or borehole to a depth exceeding ten meters from the surface; or

(b) the extension of an existing shaft or borehole to a depth exceeding ten meters; or

(c) the sinking of a new shaft or boreholes commencing from underground workings:

Provided that the authorised officer, as the case may be, may permit such intimation to be given collectively within such extended period as may be specified by him.

(1) The holder of a mining lease or the holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease shall keep a record in Form-J of all shafts or boreholes and shall retain such records and preserve the samples of the strata passed through for a period of not less than twelve months after the completion of the work or abandonment thereof:

Provided that the records of boreholes and shafts exceeding one hundred metres length shall not be destroyed except with the prior approval of the authorised officer, as the case may be.

The holder of a mining lease shall send a notice in Form C of the Schedule to the State Government and the authorised officer, as the case may be, of any change in the name of the mine within thirty days of such change.

Every holder of a prospecting licence-cum-mining lease or a mining lease who transfers the mineral concession or any right, title or interest thereof, in accordance with the provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder, to any other person, shall, within thirty days of the date of such transfer, send an intimation thereof in Form N of the Schedule to the Controller General and the authorised officer, as the case may be.

Without prejudice to the provisions of the Act or any rules made thereunder or the terms and conditions of a mining lease, every holder of a mining lease shall, within thirty days of the date of amalgamation of mining leases carried out under Rule 56 of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbon Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016 or in accordance with Rule 33 of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, as the case may be, send an intimation thereof to the Regional Controller and the State Government and the authorised officer, as the case may be.

When the ownership of a prospecting license-cum-mining lease or a mining lease is transferred as per provisions of Act or any rules made thereunder, the previous owner or his agent shall make over to the new owner or his agent within a period of seven days of the transfer of the ownership, borehole cores along with records and samples preserved, if any, all plans, sections, reports, registers and other records maintained in pursuance of the Act, rules or orders made thereunder, and all correspondence relevant thereto relating to the prospecting license cum mining lease or mining lease; and when the requirements of these rules have been duly complied with, both previous and the new owners or their respective agents shall forthwith send to the State Government and the authorised officer, as the case may be, a detailed list of borehole cores, plans, sections, reports, registers and other records that have been transferred.

The holder of a mining lease or a holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease shall simultaneously submit a copy each of the notice or return or report required to be submitted under these rules to the State Government concerned in whose territory the mine or the prospecting area is situated, or to such authority as that Government may specify in this behalf.

The holder of a mining lease or a holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease shall maintain the labour attendance register, production and dispatch register, royalty assessment register,

(a) details of contribution made to District Mineral Foundation and National Mineral Exploration Trust;

(b) details of payments made to the State Government in terms of percentage of value of minerals dispatched as quoted in the bidding;

(c) details of expenditure incurred towards the mine closure activities, explosives consumption register, bore hole logs along with the chemical analysis reports, mineral analysis reports, sub-grade or mineral reject stack register along with the grade; and

(d) details of mining machinery and copies of all notices and returns, plans, sections and schemes submitted to the authorised officer or the State Government or the Regional Controller under these rules, at an office established in the area where mining or prospecting operations are carried on, and these shall be made available at all reasonable times to the authorised officer, as the case may be, for inspection.

EMPLOYMENT OF GEOLOGISTS AND MINING ENGINEERS

(1) For the purpose of carrying out reconnaissance, prospecting or mining operations in accordance with these rules,

1. every holder of reconnaissance permit shall employ a whole-time geologist;

2. every holder of prospecting licence or a prospecting license cum mining lease shall employ a whole-time geologist and a part-time mining engineer;

3. every holder of a mining lease shall employ, in case of

(i) category A mines, a whole-time mining engineer and a geologist;

(ii) category B mines, a part-time mining engineer and a part-time geologist:

Provided that in the case of fully mechanised category A mines, the mining engineers and geologists shall have minimum five years of professional experience of working in a supervisory capacity in the field of mining:

Provided further that in case of category B mines, a person employed in terms of the provisions of sub-rule (1) may be permitted to be employed in lieu of part-time mining engineer.

(2) For the purpose of these rules,

(a) category A mines means

(i) such fully mechanised mines where the work is being carried out by deployment of heavy mining machinery for deep hole drilling, excavation, loading and transport; or

(ii) such mines where the number of average employment exceeds one hundred and fifty in all or seventy-five workings below ground, or mines where any of the mining operations like deep hole drilling, excavation, loading and transport is carried out with the help of heavy machinery;

(b) Category B mines means mines other than category A mines:

Provided that if any doubt arises as to whether any mine is a category A mine, it shall be referred to the Controller General for decision.

Explanation. For the purpose of this rule, the expression average employment means the average per day of the total employment of the mine during the preceding quarter (obtained by dividing the number of man days worked by the number of working days).

(3) The part-time mining engineer and geologist can be employed up to a maximum of six prospects or mines, provided that all such prospects or mines are located within a radius of fifty kilometres.

(4) If the holder of a reconnaissance permit, prospecting licence or a prospecting license cum mining lease or a mining lease is a geologist or mining engineer, he may appoint himself as the geologist or mining engineer for the purpose of sub-rule (1).

(5) If the manager of a mine is a mining engineer or a geologist he may appoint himself as a mining engineer or geologist for the purpose of sub-rule (1).

(6) A mining engineer or geologist employed by the holder of a prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease or mining lease shall possess the qualifications specified below, namely

(1) It shall be the duty of the geologist to conduct prospecting operations in accordance with the provisions of these rules.

(2) The geologist referred to in Rule 55 shall

(a) be responsible for periodic updating of minerals resources, maintenance of bore cores or samples and bore hole logs;

(b) plan for conservation of mineral resources and optimal utilisation of the minerals and ores in the mining leases;

(c) prepare a scheme of prospecting and carry out the investigation operation as per the scheme;

(d) prepare the necessary geological maps, plans and sections which are required to delineate the ore body;

(e) carry out petrological and mineralogical studies of host rock and mineralised zones;

(f) calculate ore reserves and its grade;

(g) be responsible for providing all the necessary information required for controlling the quality or grade of the minerals produced;

(h) maintain proper records of the prospecting operations and records of sinking of shafts and boreholes as provided under these rules;

(i) work out the appropriate method of sampling and ensure preparation of samples accordingly;

(j) maintain an assay plan in cases of underground workings;

(k) maintain all technical data for determining the shape and size of each stope block;

(l) update the reserve figures, grade-wise and category-wise at the end of every year in case of a working mine;

(m) identify the associated rocks and minerals and maintain proper records of the stacks of non-salable or subgrade ores and minerals produced;

(n) carry out all such orders and directions as may be given in writing under these rules by the Controller General or the authorised officer of the State Government and shall forward a copy of all such orders or directions to the holder of the prospecting licence or prospecting license-cum-mining lease or mining lease, as the case may be.

(1) It shall be the duty of the mining engineer to take all necessary steps to plan and conduct mining operations so as to ensure conservation of minerals, systematic development of the mineral deposits and protection of environment in and around the mining lease area in accordance with these rules.

(2) The mining engineer shall be responsible for the preparation and maintenance of plans, sections, reports and schemes in accordance with these rules.

(3) The mining engineer shall be responsible for carrying out the study of the associated rocks and minerals, identifying them and stacking the various minerals produced separately.

(4) The mining engineer shall also carry out all such orders and directions as may be given in writing under these rules by the State Government or the Controller General or the authorised officer and shall forward a copy of such orders or directions to the holder of prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease or the mining lease, as the case may be.

(5) The mining engineer shall ensure that there is sufficient provision of proper materials, appliances and facilities at all times at the mine for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of these rules and orders issued thereunder and where he is not the holder of the mining lease, he shall make requisition in writing to the holder of the mining lease for anything required for the aforesaid purpose.

(6) A copy of every requisition referred to in sub-rule (5) shall be recorded in a bound paged book kept for the purpose, and on receipt of such a requisition, the holder of the mining lease shall provide as soon as possible the materials and facilities requisitioned by the mining engineer.

EXAMINATION OF MINERALS AND ISSUE OF DIRECTIVES

(1) The holder of a mineral concession shall comply with such directions providing for systematic development of mineral deposits, conservation of minerals and for sustainable mining as the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, may issue from time to time.

(2) A copy of the proposed directions to be issued to any particular mine shall be sent by the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, to the holder of a mineral concession, and to the State Government concerned, and any comments received from the holder of a mineral concession and the State Government within thirty days of the date of service of the notice, shall be duly considered by him before issuing any such directions.

(3) General directions applicable to a class of mines shall be issued by the Regional Controller or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, with the previous approval of the Central Government in consultation with the State Government concerned.

(4) An order made under sub-rule (1) shall

(a) in the case of an order of a general nature or affecting a class of persons, be notified in Official Gazette; and

(b) in the case of an order directed to a specified individual, be served on such individual by delivering or tendering it to that individual, or if it is not possible to be so delivered or tendered, by affixing it on the outer door or some other conspicuous part of the premises in which that individual lives, and a written report thereof shall be prepared and witnessed by two persons living in the neighbourhood.

The authorised officer, as the case may be, may examine any mineral deposit in any area under prospecting licence or prospecting license cum mining lease or mining lease and take samples there from at any time for the purposes of these rules.

If any mine or part thereof, which in the opinion of the Chief Controller of Mines or the Controller of Mines or the Regional Controller of Mines poses a grave and immediate threat to the conservation of minerals or to environment or to the sustainable development of the mine, he may, by an order in writing to the holder of a mining lease, require him to take such measures as may be specified in the order and may prohibit, until the requirements as specified in the order are complied with to his satisfaction, the deployment of any person other than those required for compliance with the requirement of the order:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research shall issue orders in this regard.

REVISION AND PENALTY

(1) Any person aggrieved by any order made or direction issued under these rules by any authorised officer excepting the State Government, as the case may be, may within thirty days of the communication of such order or direction, apply to the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, for a revision of the order or direction:

Provided that any such application may be entertained after the said period of thirty days if the applicant satisfies the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, that he had sufficient cause for not making the application within time:

Provided further that if any order made or direction issued by an officer subordinate to the Chief Controller of Mines, the application shall be made to the Chief Controller of Mines who shall deal with the application in the manner provided hereunder.

(2) Every order against which a revision application is preferred under sub-rule (1) shall be complied with pending receipt of the decision of the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research or the Chief Controller of Mines, as the case may be:

Provided that the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research or the Chief Controller of Mines, as the case may be, may suspend the operation of the order against which the revision has been preferred, pending disposal of the revision application.

(3) On receipt of an application for revision under sub-rule (1), the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research or the Chief Controller of Mines, as the case may be, after giving a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the aggrieved person, may confirm, modify or set aside the impugned order.

(4) Any person aggrieved by any order made or direction issued by the Chief Controller of Mines may within thirty days of the communication of such order or direction, prefer an appeal to the Controller General as against the said order or direction:

Provided that any such appeal may be entertained after the said period of thirty days, if the applicant satisfies the Controller General that he had sufficient cause for not making the application within time.

(5) On receipt of any such appeal under sub-rule (4), the Controller General may confirm, modify or set aside the order or direction made or issued by the Chief Controller of Mines or may pass such orders in relation to the applicant, as it may deem fit and such decision shall be final.

(6) Every order against which appeal is preferred under sub-rule (4), shall be complied with pending receipt of the decision of the Controller General:

Provided that the Controller General may, on an application made by the applicant, suspend operation of the order or direction appealed against pending disposal of the appeal.

(7) Every application submitted under the provisions of this rule shall be accompanied by a bank draft for ten thousand rupees as application fee drawn on a scheduled bank in the name of Pay and Accounts Officer, Indian Bureau of Mines payable at Nagpur or by way of a bank transfer to the designated bank account of the Indian Bureau of Mines:

Provided that in case the application under sub-rule (1) is made to the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, the amount of ten thousand rupees shall be remitted as per the details specified by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in this regard.

Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of these rules shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both, and in the case of a continuing contravention, with additional fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees for every day during which such contravention continues after conviction for the first such contravention:

Provided that any offence punishable under these rules may either before or after the institution of the prosecution, be compounded by the person authorised under Section 22 of the Act to make a complaint to the court with respect to that offence, on payment to that person, for credit to the Government, of such sum specified in this regard by the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, as the case may be:

Provided further that in case of an offence punishable with fine only, such sum shall not exceed the maximum amount of fine which may be imposed for that offence:

Provided also that where an offence is compounded under these rules, no proceeding or further proceeding, as the case may be, shall be taken against the offender in respect of the offence so compounded, and the offender, if in custody, shall be released forthwith.

MISCELLANEOUS

(1) Every holder of a mineral concession and every agency authorised under the second proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 4 shall preserve intact, until submission of the final geological report, all cores and specimens of different types of rocks and minerals obtained during drilling or sinking operations and shall arrange for them to be laid out in a serial order with identification marks, showing the progressive depth at which they are obtained.

(2) The State Government or the authorised officer, as the case may be, may, by an order in writing, require the holder of the mineral concession or the agency authorised under the second proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 4 to preserve the cores or specimens of rocks and minerals obtained from specific boreholes or shafts in a specific manner or for any specific period or relax the provisions of this rule to such an extent as they may deem fit.

(3) No cores or samples generated and preserved as per sub-rule (1) and (2) above shall be destroyed without the prior permission in writing from the Chief Controller of Mines or the State Government or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be.

(4) The Geological Survey of India shall be the nodal agency for archiving drill cores at the National Core Repository and at the Regional Drill Core Repositories with suitable indexing and cataloguing.

(5) The Regional Drill Core Repositories shall function as satellites of the National Core Repository.

(6) The holder of a mineral concession or any other agency authorised under the second proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 4 shall adhere to the procedure for preservation and submission of cores as provided in the manual issued by the Geological Survey of India from time to time and shall preserve the identified borehole cores to be collected by the Geological Survey of India, after completion of all the required studies at the time of submission of the final geological report.

Every holder of a prospecting licence or a prospecting licence-cum-mining lease or a mining lease shall afford all reasonable facilities to persons authorised by the authorised officer for the purpose of undertaking research or training in matters relating to mining or geology.

(1) Any person, institution or agency carrying on prospecting or mining operations related to any research in geology or mining, shall inform the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, within a period of thirty days of commencement of such research related operations, indicating briefly the aspects proposed to be covered under such research together with the name and address of the person, institution, or agency carrying out such research work and the expected duration of the research related operations.

(2) On completion of the said research work, a report describing the observations, analysis and conclusions reached as a result of the said research work shall be submitted to the Director General, Geological Survey of India for geology related research and to the Chief Controller of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, for mining research within thirty days of its completion.

(3) The authorities referred to in sub-rule (2) shall keep the information provided in the receipt confidential, and if required, the authorised officer may utilise the said information for general studies, planning or policy making purpose.

(4) The provisions of sub-rules (1) and (2) shall also apply mutatis mutandis to any agency of the Central Government or State Government carrying out the research work.

The Controller General may by a notification in the Official Gazette, prescribe the limits of the territorial jurisdiction of the Controller of Mines and the Regional Controller for purposes of these rules:

Provided that the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016, may by a notification in the Official Gazette, prescribe the limits of the territorial jurisdiction of the authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research for the purposes of these rules.

The holder of a mineral concession shall furnish such information regarding his reconnaissance or prospecting operations or mining operations or any matter connected therewith as the authorised officer may require by an order in writing and the information shall be furnished within such time as may be specified in the such order.

The Central Government, the State Governments or its agencies carrying out prospecting or mining operations, as the case may be, without a mineral concession shall be bound by all the provisions of these rules in the same manner as they are applicable to holders of mineral concessions.

(1) Any power granted under these rules to the Regional Controller may be exercised by the Controller of Mines.

(2) The powers granted to the Controller of Mines can be exercised by Chief Controller of Mines and the powers granted to the Chief Controller of Mines can be exercised by the Controller General:

Provided that any power granted under these rules to an authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research may be exercised by the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act where the grade of such atomic minerals is equal to or above the threshold value limits declared under Schedule-A of the Atomic Minerals Concession Rules, 2016.

Nothing in these rules shall affect the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) and the rules made thereunder, in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act.

The Indian Bureau of Mines or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, shall revise or update, every three years or earlier, if required, after consultation with stakeholders, the formats of the scheme of reconnaissance, scheme of prospecting, mining plan and the mine closure plan provided by it.

GEOLOGICAL REPORTS

(1) Every agency authorised under the second proviso to sub-section (1) of Section 4, shall submit a geological report and all geo-scientific data (geological, airborne geophysical, ground, geophysical and geochemical and any data collected for geological investigation purpose) collected during the course of the prospecting operations, to the Director General of the Geological Survey of India, the Controller General and the State Government before the thirtieth day of June of every year in respect of the work done during the previous year:

Provided that in respect of minerals specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Act, the agency shall submit the report to the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research and the State Government in a format provided by the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research.

(2) The geological reports and geo-scientific data shall be submitted in hard copies and in digital form every year reckoned from the date of commencement of operations and shall include

(a) geological data relating to exploration, such as raw data with location, geological map, structural data, sections, plans and anomaly maps;

(b) geophysical data (ground and aero-geophysical) relating to prospecting fields or engineering or ground water surveys, such as raw data with location, anomaly maps, sections, plans, contour maps and logging details;

(c) geochemical data relating to exploration, such as raw analytical data with location, anomaly and contour maps and sections; and

(d) detailed exploration results, style and nature of mineralisation, mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates and grade, and the necessary supporting documents relating to exploration results, mineral resources or mineral reserves of the area shall form a part of the report.

(3) The geological reports shall be prepared in a format to be specified by the Controller General or the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, so as to enable a complete assessment of the exploration progress and results and to ensure that the results of exploration are fully and clearly recorded for mineral development in the future.

(4) The geological reports under this Chapter shall be prepared by or under the direction of, and signed by a geologist under whose supervision exploration was carried out.

MINING REGULATION PORTAL

The Indian Bureau of Mines, in consultation with the State Governments, shall prepare a mining regulation web portal to bring information together the different aspects of the regulatory functions being undertaken by the Indian Bureau of Mines and the State Government or the authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, for implementation and compliance of the provisions of these rules.

All aspects of regulatory functions being undertaken by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the State Government or the authorised officer of the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, for implementation and compliance of the provisions of these rules shall be recorded in standard process sheets or templates developed for these purposes, and the information in this regard shall be made available on the portal referred to in Rule 73:

Provided that access to the commercial information provided in the said web portal shall be so regulated that the information is accessible only by the holder of the mineral concession concerned, the Controller General, the Central Government, the State Government, the authorised officer and the administrator of the web portal.

(1) Each information source shall have a dedicated area on the page for displaying information (a portlet).

Explanation. For the purposes of this rule, it is clarified that inspections carried out by the Indian Bureau of Mines or the State Government or an authorised officer of the Director, Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, as the case may be, and the response of the mine owner or manager to the inspection shall be construed as one information source.

(2) Identification of the different information sources, user categories, preparation of the standard process sheets or templates, configuring and customizing the presentation of the content and other details in this regard as well the role of the administrator for addition of information to the portal or deletion from the portal shall be decided by the Controller General in consultation with the Central Government.

(See Rule 7)

(Notice of commencement of Reconnaissance or prospecting operations)

Place:

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation: Owner-Geologist-Mining Engineer

[See Rule 9(1), 9(3) and 9(4)]

(Progress Report of the Reconnaissance Operations or Prospecting Operations carried out for the Year )

Note: Please enclose a geological report describing the reconnaissance prospecting operations undertaken so far along with the detailed geological plans and sections showing locations of (a) boreholes, (b) pits, (c) trenches, (d) shafts, (e) underground exploratory workings, (f) outcrops, (g) ore zones, (h) faults, (i) folds and other geological features.

The Report shall contain in the borehole logs and interpretation and the inferences drawn as a result of the study of the geology of the area and the interpretation of the borehole cores, pits, trenches, assay data, reserves of ore and contain results of complete analysis of at least two representative samples of ore and the blocks proposed for mining operations. The report shall also contain the results of any beneficiation study carried out on the ores or minerals of the area.

Place:

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation:

Owner-Geologist-Mining Engineer

[See Rules 20, 29 and 49]

(Notice of intimation of opening-reopening of mine-change in the name of mine)

Place

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation: Owner-Agent-Mining Engineer-Manager

[See Rule 21(2)]

(Notice of intention of abandonment of mine or part of the mine)

Place:

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation: Owner-Agent-Mining Engineer-Manager

[See Rule 28(1) and 28(2)]

(Notice of temporary discontinuance of mine)

Place:

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation: Owner-Agent-Mining Engineer-Manager

[See Rule 30(2)]

(Notice of commencement of stoping)

Place:

Date:

Signature

Name in full:

Designation: Owner-Agent-Mining Engineer-Manager

[See Rule 45(5)(b)(i)]

For the month of 20

MONTHLY RETURN

[To be used for minerals other than Copper, Gold, Lead, Pyrites, Tin, Tungsten, Zinc and precious and semi-precious stones]

Part I

(General and Labour)

5. Average Daily Employment and Total Salary-Wages paid #:

# To include all employees exclusive to the mine and attached factory, workshop or mineral dressing plant at the mine site

Part II

(Production, Despatches and Stocks)

(To be submitted separately for each mineral)

(Unit of Quantity in Tonnes)

1. Type of ore produced:

(Applicable for Iron ore only; tick mark whichever is applicable)

(a) Hematite

(b) Magnetite

2. Production and Stocks of ROM ore at Mine-head

($): Applicable for iron ore and chromite only. For other minerals data of dispatches to be reported in 3(ii)

3(ii) Grade-wise Production, Dispatches, Stocks and Ex-mine prices:

3(iii) In case the mineral is being pulverized in own factory, please give the following particulars (*):

3(iv) Average cost of pulverization (*) : ` . per tonne.

(*): Not applicable for Iron ore, Manganese ore, Bauxite and Chromite

4. Details of deductions made from sale value for computation of Ex-mine price (`-Tonne)

# Not applicable for captive dispatches and ex-mine sales

5. Sales-Dispatches effected for Domestic Purposes and for Exports:

(^): To indicate the grades of ores as mentioned below (see @ and **)

## To indicate separately if more than one buyer.

Note. Mine owners are required to substantiate domestic sale value-FOB value for each grade of ore quoted above with copy of invoices (not to be submitted with the return; to be produced whenever required).

6. Give reasons for increase-decrease in production-nil production, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

7. Give reasons for increase-decrease in grade wise ex-mine price, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

I certify that the information furnished above is correct and complete in all respects.

@ Grades of ROM ore dispatched:

**Grades of minerals to be reported in the above tables are as given below. (If separate grades are not mentioned below, report the mineral name against grade):

[See Rule 45(5)(b)(ii)]

For the month of 20

MONTHLY RETURN

[To be used for minerals Copper, Gold, Lead, Pyrites, Tin, Tungsten and Zinc]

To

Part I

(General and Labour)

1. Details of the Mine:

2. Name and address of Lessee-Owner (along with fax no. and e-mail):

3. Details of Rent Royalty Dead Rent DMF NMET amount paid in the month

4. Details on working of mine:

5. Average Daily Employment and Total Salary-Wages paid #:

# To include all employees exclusive to the mine and attached factory, workshop or mineral dressing plant at the mine site

Part II

(PRODUCTION, DESPATCHES AND STOCKS)

(To be submitted separately for each mineral)

(Unit of Quantity in Tonnes; indicate unit of quantity if not in tonnes)

1. Production and Stocks of ROM ore

2. Ex-mine price of the ore produced (` per unit):

3. Recoveries at Concentrator-Mill-Plant:

*In case of any leaching method adopted, give quantity recovered and grade contained separately.

4. Recovery at the Smelter-Mill-Plant:

(*) Please give category-wise break-up viz. blister, fire refined copper, cathodes, electrolytic copper wire bars, lead ingots, zinc cathodes, zinc dross, gold, tungsten etc.

5. Sales during the month:

Note:

(#) Please give ex-plant sale value.

(@) Please give category-wise break-up of metals and other products sold.

6. Details of deductions made from sale value for computation of Ex-mine price (`-Unit)

# Not applicable for captive dispatches and ex-mine sales

7. Sales-Dispatches of ore and concentrates effected for Domestic Purposes and for Exports:

## To indicate separately if more than one buyer.

Note. Mine owners are required to substantiate domestic sale value-FOB value for each grade quoted above with copy of invoices (not to be submitted with the return; to be produced whenever required).

8. Give reasons for increase-decrease in production-nil production, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

9. Give reasons for increase-decrease in grade wise ex-mine price, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

I certify that the information furnished above is correct and complete in all respects.

[See Rule 45(5)(b)(iii)]

For the month of 20

MONTHLY RETURN

[To be used for precious and semi-precious stones]

To

(Please address to Regional Controller of Mines in whose territorial jurisdiction the mines falls as notified from time to time by the Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines under Rule 62 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988)

Part I

(General and Labour)

1. Details of the Mine:

5. Average Daily Employment and Total Salary-Wages paid #:

# To include all employees exclusive to the mine and attached factory, workshop or mineral dressing plant at the mine site

Part II

(Production, Despatches and Stocks)

(To be submitted separately for each mineral)

1. R.O.M. production:

2. Production, stocks and dispatches

@:The Unit of quantity viz. Carats-Grams-Kilogram etc., as the case may be, should be indicated under quantity.

3. Details of deductions made from sale value for computation of Ex-mine price (`-Unit)

# Not applicable for captive dispatches and ex-mine sales

4. Sales-Dispatches effected for Domestic Purposes and for Exports:

*: To indicate rough and uncut stones, cut and polished stones, industrial, others

## To indicate separately if more than one buyer.

Note. Mine owners are required to substantiate domestic sale value-FOB value for each grade of ore quoted above with copy of invoices (not to be submitted with the return; to be produced whenever required).

5. Give reasons for increase-decrease in production-nil production, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

6. Give reasons for increase-decrease in grade wise ex-mine price, if any, during the month compared to the previous month.

(a)

(b)

(c)

I certify that the information furnished above is correct and complete in all respects.

[See Rule 45(5)(c)(i)]

For the Financial Year 1st April, 20 to 31st March, 20 .

ANNUAL RETURN

[To be used for minerals other than Copper, Gold, Lead, Pyrites, Tin, Tungsten, Zinc and precious and semi-precious stones]

To

Part I

(General)

1. Details of Mine:

3. Name and address of Lessee-Owner (along with fax no. and e-mail):

11. Particulars of area operated-Lease

(Furnish information on items (i) to (vi) lease-wise in case mine workings cover more than one lease)

(i) Lease number allotted by the State Government

(ii) Area under lease (hectares):

Part II

(Employment and Wages)

1. Number of supervisory staff employed at the mine

3. Employment and salary-wages paid #:

Maximum number of persons employed on any one day during the year:

(i) In workings below ground on (date) ..(a) (number)

(ii) In all in the mine on (date) ..(a) (number)

# To include all employees exclusive to the mine and attached factory, workshop or mineral dressing plant at the mine site

Part II-A

(Capital Structure)

1. Value of Fixed Assets* (` )

(in respect of the mine, beneficiation plant, mine work-shop, power and water installation)

In case this information is furnished as combined information in another mine's return please specify Mine Code-Mine Name:

* In case the fixed assets are common to more than one mine, furnish combined information for all such mines together in any one of the mine's return. In the returns for other mines, give only a cross reference to the particular mine's return where-in the information is included.

** Optional and may be furnished in respect of items (i), (ii) and (iii) if the mine owner desires.

*** Including any non-recurring expenditure incurred on the acquisition of land.

2. Source of Finance (at the end of the year):

(#) Indicate the names of the lending institutions such as State Finance Corporation, Industrial Development and other Public Corporations, Co-operative Banks, Nationalised Banks and other sources along with the amount of loan from each source and the rate of interest at which loan has been taken.

3. Interest and Rent (`)

(i) Interest paid during the year

(ii) Rents (excluding surface rent) paid during the year

Part III

(Consumption of Materials)

1. Quantity and cost of material consumed during the year

6. Other expenses (`):

Part IV

(Consumption of Explosives)

Different sizes of soaked liquid oxygen cartridges to be reported in equivalent kg. as per manufacturer's instruction.

Part V

(General Geology and Mining)

(Items 2 and 3 to be submitted separately for each mineral)

1. Exploration

1 (i) Exploration activities during the year:

1 (ii) Any other exploration activity during the year:

2. Reserves and Resources estimated (in tonnes).