Operation of the South Australian Mining Act

The new South Australian Mining Act be came operative in July, 1972. It provides appropriate updated legislation covering pro- specting, exploration and development of mining properties. Anomalies inherent in earlier legislation which provided for the private ownership of minerals in certain areas have been overcome by the vesting of the property in. all minerals in the Crown. Appropriate transition- al and long term provisions protect the right of individuals thereby divested of their former property in minerals. In the matter of pro- specting for and quarrying of extractive minerals, the rights of landowners have been formally recognized, and the concept of rehab- ilitation of quarried areas has been introduced utilizing money provided from a royalty fund especially established for this purpose. Con- temporary company exploration practice is catered for under a new exploration tenement and at the same time the legislation makes provision for the interests of individual pro- spectors. Special provisions have been enacted to cope with the rapidly developing opal mining industry. A feature of the new Act is the introduction of legislation which recognizes enlightened contemporary thinking on the matter of environmental considerations. The Act has also extended the powers and widened the jurisdiction of the Warden's Court. In general,