Section 154

of Minerals Ordinance, 2004

State OrdinanceIn forceProvision 154 of 166

Section 154

—

(1)

Subject to subsection (4), no information contained in any report submitted to meet the requirements as may be prescribed regarding any prospecting licence to any authorized officer shall be disclosed by the authorized officer—

(a)

for a period of three years from the date of submission of the report; or

(b)

for a period of one year from the date of termination of the licence, whichever period shall so first expire, except with the written consent of the holder of the prospecting licence.

(2)

Subject to subsection (4), no information contained in any report submitted to meet the requirements as may be prescribed regarding any mining lease or proprietary mining licence to any authorized officer shall be disclosed by the authorized officer for a period of one year from the date of termination of the lease or licence except with the written consent of the holder of the mining lease or proprietary mining licence.

(3)

All information submitted in support of an application for a mineral tenement or for the renewal thereof and supplied to any authorized officer shall be kept confidential by the authorized officer—

(a)

where the application is refused, for a period of six months from the date of such refusal; or

(b)

where the application is approved, for a period of six months from the date of termination of the mineral tenement.

(4)

Nothing in subsection (1), (2) or (3) shall operate to prevent the disclosure of information where the disclosure is made—

(a)

for or in connection with the due administration of this

Ordinance;

(b)

for the purpose of any legal proceedings;

(c)

for the purpose of any investigation or inquiry conducted under this Ordinance;

(d)

to any consultant to the State Planning Authority or the

Authority or to any officer authorized in writing by the Minister to receive the information; or

109

(e)

for or in connection with the preparation by the

Government or the Federal Government of statistics in respect of prospecting or mining operations.

(5)

In this section, “date of termination” means—

(a)

in relation to a prospecting licence and proprietary mining licence, the date of surrender, revocation or expiry of the licence, whichever shall first occur;

(b)

in relation to a mining lease, the date of surrender, forfeiture or expiry, whichever shall first occur.

Read in full context — Minerals Ordinance, 2004 →