FROCEDURES FOR ACQUIRING
EXPLORATION AND
EXPLOITATION MINERAL
RIGHTS
SECOND SEMESTER
KENNEDY ZINALE
August 25, 2025
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
INTRODUCTION
The Minerals And Mining (Licensing) Regulations,
2012, LI 2176 provides for the various requirements
and procedures for licensing of mineral rights.
The procedures for both exploration and exploitation
application is nearly the same.
What documents are required for initiating an
application for a mineral right?
The process is operates on the principle of “first come
first serve”
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Licensing Procedure for Exploitation Mineral
Rights (Mining Lease)
STAR
Identify unencumbered area T END HERE
and apply (APPLICANT) HERE
10 days to correct
Minister, on proof of
Receipt and Recording of errors
(APPLICANT)
payment of
Application (MINCOM) applicable fees, issues
licence to
applicant within 30 days
5 days notification (MINISTER)
5 days review of of
errors if any
application (MINCOM)
21 days, Within 60 days, applicant
stakeholders pays
15 days after recording, submit concerns
applicable fees, and writes
publish in the Gazette, about
application
to accept
notify Chiefs, District the grant to Minister and
assembly etc. Commission
(MINCOM) (APPLICANT)
21 days
notification.
Feasibility Study 21 days notification of If rejected,
Committee reviews the approval and fees
30 – 40 days consideration. Reasons for
feasibility report of the payable
Commission makes rejection
applicant if approved
recommendation to (MINISTER)
(MINCOM)
Minister.
(MINCOM)
60 days, Minister makes Approves/Rejects
decision on the application application
(MINISTER) (MINISTER)
Licensing Procedure for Exploration Mineral
Rights (Reconnaissance and Prospecting
Licences) STAR
Identify unencumbered area T END HERE
and apply (APPLICANT) HERE
10 days to correct
Minister, on proof of
Receipt and Recording of errors
(APPLICANT)
payment of
Application (MINCOM) applicable fees, issues
licence to
applicant within 30 days
5 days notification (MINISTER)
5 days review of of
errors if any
application (MINCOM)
21 days, Within 60 days, applicant
stakeholders pays
15 days after recording, submit concerns
applicable fees, and writes
publish in the Gazette, about
application
to accept
notify Chiefs, District the grant to Minister and
assembly etc. Commission
Institutional Technical
(MINCOM) (APPLICANT)
Committee (ITC)
reviews work programme.
Environmental Protection 21 days
Agency notification.
(EPA) 21 days notification of If rejected,
Ghana Geological Survey approval and fees Reasons for
30 – 40 days consideration. Authority payable
Commission makes rejection
Lands Commission if approved
recommendation to Water Resources (MINISTER)
(MINCOM)
Minister. Commission
(MINCOM) Forestry Commission
60 days, Minister makes Approves/Rejects
decision on the application application
(MINISTER) (MINISTER)
Procedure for Acquiring Small-
scale Licence
Step one: Submission of Application
The application is submitted at the district office. It
takes 5 days to review the application. The next 5 days
is for notification of errors.
Step Two: Submission to the Minerals Titles Department:
10 days after registration, the district office shall submit
the application to MTD. MTD review the application in 10
days and records it in the priority register.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Small-scale licence Procedure
(cont’d)
Step Three: MTD Publishes in the Gazette
15 days after recording, the MTD published in the
gazette, notify chiefs, traditional authorities etc.
through the Commission District Offices.
Step Four: Application Dossier
Within 10 days after publication, the District office
shall submit application to MTD for appropriate
recommendation to the minister.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Small-scale licence Procedure
(cont’d)
Step Five: Minister Takes Decision
The minister makes a decision on the application
Step Six: Approved/Rejected
21 days notification to applicant and fees payable if
approved. Reasons given if rejected.
Step Seven Applicable Fees
Within 60 days, applicant pays applicable fees and gives
notice of acceptance of the grant to the minister and
Commission in writing.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Step Eight: Licence
Minister on proof of payment of application fees,
issues licence to applicant withing 30 days after the
date of acceptance of the grant.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Parliamentary Ratification of
Mining Leases
Art. 268(2) of the Constitution, 1992 requires all
exploitation mineral rights to be ratified by Parliament.
Republic v. High Court General Jurisdiction 6 (Ex Parte
Attorney-General; Interested Party – Exton Cubic Group),
Supreme Court, 31 July 2019. (Exton Cubic Case)
Procedure for Ratification of mining lease
Holder of mining lease submits appropriate copies of
mining lease agreement to the Commission.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Parliamentary Ratification
(cont’d)
Mincom compiles brief on each mining lease,
attaches copies of the mining lease agreements,
and prepares a draft cabinet memo to the
Minister.
Minister submits the request for ratification to
Cabinet for review.
After Cabinet approval Minister submits the
request to Parliament.
The Mines and Energy Committee considers
request: the Ministry and Mincom appear before
Committee to provide clarifications.
Finally, Parliament ratifies the agreements.
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Requirement for Operating
Permit
Before a Prospecting licence holder or a Mining lease
holder may commence any activity on the mineral
right area, that person requires a Prospecting
Operating Permit and a Mining Operating Permit
respectively from the Inspectorate Division of Mincom.
Requirements for Prospecting Operating Permit (Reg.
6, LI 2182)
EPA Permit
Prospecting Licence
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
Requirement for Operating Permit
(cont’d)
Requirements for Mining Operating Permit (Reg. 8,
LI 2182)
EPA Permit
Mining Lease
Emergency Operating Plan
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
THANK YOU
UNIVERSITY OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY, TARKWA UMaT
