If you want to know more about the legal requirements to prospect for Gold in WA you can find the latest information on the Department of Mines and Petroleum website at the following link DMP
DMP produce a number of very helpful pamphlets which outline the minimum requirements to Prospect for gold in WA.
All minerals belong to the Crown, so in order to be able to keep what you find, the first thing you need is a Miners Right. A miners Right allows the holder to prospect on Crown land and take and keep samples and specimens of any ore or material up to 20 kilograms. However, a Miner’s Right does not authorise the holder to carry out mining operations.
You should be aware that penalties for breaches of the Act can be substantial, for example:
- The penalty for committing the offence of mining (including prospecting) without authority is up to:
- for an individual – $150,000. If the offence is a continuing one, a further fine of up to $15,000 for every day the offence has continued
- for a body corporate – $300,000. If the offence is a continuing one, a further fine of up to $30,000 for every day the offence has continued.
The DMP Seven Golden Rules For Prospecting give a very good overview of your requirements.
For a more detailed guide to Prospecting in WA read the DMP Prospecting in WA Guidelines
Prospecting and mining in WA is NOT permitted on reserves or in state forests. For more information on where can and cannot legally prospect visit the DMP website.
Some mining companies require prospectors to hold Public Liability Insurance before they will grant access to their leases, this can be costly exercise. A good alternative is to join the Amalgamated Prospectors and Lease Holders Association (APLA) which provides it members with Public Liability Insurance as an integral part of membership. APLA is a peak industry group in Western Australia and is well recognised nationally as a key player in the prospecting and mining industries. Read more about APLA
