Coal exploration reporting guidelines
Holders of coal exploration titles are required under the Mining Act (1992) to lodge, at six monthly intervals, reports on exploration activities, expenditure and the proposed exploration program for the following six months. Upon expiration or termination of an exploration licence, the title holder is also required to lodge a comprehensive report containing full particulars of all exploration activities, including expenditure, carried out by the licence holder during the currency of the licence and results of such exploration activities and conclusions reached with regard to the coal resource potential of the licence area.
In addition an assessment of the adequacy of exploration programs is undertaken prior to the grant of a mining lease. The Department must be satisfied that the amount of exploration is sufficient to prepare a conceptual mine plan. This ensures that the Department can support a development proposal in so far as it maximises the resource recovery of the area.
Exploration Data
Reports and data supplied to the Department under coal exploration, assessment and mining titles are considered confidential for the life of the title. This includes any renewals and transfers of the title. Coal exploration data generally does not become available until after mining has been completed and/or titles have been relinquished.
However for a variety of reasons small amounts of company exploration data occasionally become available and all exploration carried out by DPI Minerals, including joint venture exploration with companies, is made available to the public.
Guidelines for the Submission of Digital Data and Reporting
As a result of the increasing amount of digital data being generated by exploration companies, and an increasing expectation that data be available in digital form, the Department has created guidelines for the submission of coal and petroleum exploration data in digital form. As of the 1st January 2001 all coal and petroleum exploration reports and data must be submitted in digital form as set out by the guidelines (revised 5th May 2008). The guidelines conform to a set of national standards for exploration reporting agreed to by state and federal geological agencies.
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Guidelines for the Submission of Digital Coal & Petroleum Exploration Reports and Data - PDF | 25 Kb |
Guidelines for the Estimation & Reporting of Australian Black Coal Resources & Reserves
The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) requires that all public reporting of resources and reserves of black coal comply with the guidelines. Similarly, the Department requires that all resource and reserve statements for black coal included in reports required under the Mining Act and associated regulations and conditions of title comply with the guidelines.
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Australian Guidelines for Estimating & Reporting of Inventory Coal, Coal Resources and Coal Reserves - PDF | 151 Kb |
Enquiries regarding exploration data and reporting:
Manager Coal Advice
Ph: 02 4931 6666