Section 57
When development work and mining to commence
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(1)
The holder of a mining lease or certificate shall commence development work within nine months from the date of registration of the lease or certificate:
Provided that where the lease or certificate is subject to a condition or requirement under this Ordinance prohibiting the commencement of development work until such condition or requirement is satisfied, the holder shall commence development work within nine months of the date on which such condition or requirement has been satisfied.
(2)
The Director, in consultation with the Authority, may forfeit the mining land under section 58 if the holder of a mining lease or certificate fails to commence work on the land in respect of which the mining lease or certificate has been granted within one year from the production commencement date specified in any mine feasibility study report submitted under section 55.
(3)
The Director, in consultation with the Authority, may forfeit the mining land under section 58 if the level of annual ore production is less than twenty per cent of the planned raw ore production for that year as stated for two consecutive years, if in the year following that two years’ period the annual ore production is twenty per cent or less of the planned raw ore production level for that year as stated in the said study.
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