Corrs In Brief: Restriction on exploration and mining in urban areas

On 16 August 2011, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced an interim restriction on the grant of new exploration permits for coal or other materials within Restricted Area 384 (RA 384) under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld) (MRA), effective immediately.

Also, no new land will be released for coal seam gas (CSG) exploration, and no new greenhouse gas applications, geothermal applications, petroleum and gas exploration applications or authorities to prospect will be issued over land within RA 384.

RA 384 has been declared over an area larger than Wales, and Greg Lane, Acting Chief of the Queensland Resources Council, says that this affects about 10% of approximately 1500 existing exploration permits. This number is greater according to the chief executive of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, who says that 285 existing exploration permits will be affected.