How is mineral exploration licensed in Britain?
The Crown Estate Commissioners issue licences to explore for gold and silver throughout Britain. However, for other minerals there is no formal system to license or regulate mineral exploration in the UK, except in Northern Ireland. Exploration involves tracing and then negotiating with individual owners of land and mineral rights. In practice, many companies operate with the verbal permission of the surface owner to carry out limited surface exploration. Others prefer a flexible legal agreement which allows them to conduct exploration and provides an option to develop any resources that are discovered. In most areas planning permission is not required for surface work or limited drilling programmes, but investigations over periods exceeding 30 days are likely to require such permission. Prior to any work it is recommended that the Mineral Planning Officer of the local authority be consulted. Areas affected by planning constraints or designations such as National Parks, Areas of Outsta
