Jharkhand Minor Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2018
No: -- Dated: Jan, 23 2019
Jharkhand Minor Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2018
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 15 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957) and in the light of Jharkhand Minor Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2017, the Government of Jharkhand hereby makes the following rules, namely:-
1. Short title and commencement. - (1) These rules may be called the Jharkhand Minor Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Rules, 2018.
(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Application. - These rules shall extend to the whole State of Jharkhand and shall apply to minor minerals as specified in clause (e) of section 3 of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957) (Schedule-II).
"minor minerals" means building stones, gravel, ordinary clay, ordinary sand other than sand used for prescribed purposes, and any other mineral which the Central Government may, be notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be a minor mineral.
3. Definitions and interpretation. - In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,-
a. "Act" means the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957);
b. "Evidence of mineral contents" means the existence of mineral contents established by the process of geological exploration according to the norms fixed in Schedule-1 of these Rules.
c. "Threshold value of minerals" means the limits prescribed by the Indian Bureau of Mines or Government of Jharkhand from time to time based on the beneficiability and marketability of a mineral for a given region and for given time, below which the material obtained after mining can be discarded as waste;
d. "Schedule" means the Schedule annexed to these rules;
e. The expressions General Exploration (C2) & Detailed Exploration (C1), Feasibility Study (FS) used in these rules shall have the meanings assigned to them in Part-1 of the Schedule-1.
f. All other words and expressions used in these rules, but not defined, shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Act or the rules made there under.
4. Preparation of mineral blocks. - A mineral block may be defined as an area where there is evidence to show the existence of mineral contents in accordance with the parameters prescribed in Schedule-1. The Government may grant a mining lease composite license through Electronic Auction, in the manner specified in Jharkhand Minor Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2017. Mineral Blocks should be prepared in defined geometrical shapes as far as possible.
5. Existence of mineral contents for grant of composite license. - (1) An area may be notified for auction to grant a composite license under chapter III of Jharkhand Minor Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2017 if, in respect of such area:-
(a) General Exploration (C2) has been completed to establish Inferred Mineral Resource.
(b) A geological report has been prepared conforming to Part-III A of the schedule.
6. Existence of mineral contents for grant of mining lease. - An area shall be considered for grant a mining lease under Chapter II of Jharkhand Minor Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2017 if, in respect of such area:-
(a) Detailed Exploration (C1) has been completed to establish Indicated/Measured Mineral Resource.
(b) A geological report has been prepared conforming to Part-III A of Schedule-1.
7. Relaxation. - Depending upon the local geological setup, mode of occurrence and nature of mineralization, the Government (State Cabinet) may relax the exploration norms as specified in Part III of Schedule-1, in whole or in part for any mineral or any area.