F.No.7/4/2000-MVI

                         Government of India

                          Ministry of Mines

                                     New Delhi, 26th February, 2001

             To

                   1. Secretary(Mines)

                   (All State Governments)

                   2. Director(Mines and Geology)

                   (All State Governments)

                   3. Secretary General

                   Federation of Indian Mineral Industries

                   New Delhi

                   (For Wide Circulation)

Subject:     Modalities of acquisition and dissemination of data generated under Reconnaissance Permits(RP)/ Prospecting Licences(PL) granted over large areas.

Sir,

             After liberalisation in the mineral sector,  large  areas have  been  granted  to  entrepreneurs   in the private and public sector  for  undertaking  prospecting  operations  for  minerals.  Under  the  Mineral  Concession  Rules,  1960 (MCR, 1960) and the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules,  1988  (MCDR,  1988), the  Reconnaissance Permit Holders and the Large Area Prospecting License   Holders  (under  the  Guidelines  of  October,1996)  are required  to  share  the  data  generated  during the prospecting operations with the State Government, and the Central  Government agencies,  such as, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), and the   Indian Bureau   of  Mines  (IBM).     However,  the  modalities  of acquisition and dissemination of data have not been elaborated so  far.

               The issue was  discussed  in  the  26th  Meeting  of  the Mineral  Advisory  Council  held on 30.8.2000 as well in the 35th Meeting of the  Central  Geological  Programming  Board  held  on   28.9.2000.   A  meeting has also been held under the Chairmanship of the Controller General, IBM on 1.11.2000 with participation of  the industry, the State Governments and  the  Central  Government  agencies (GSI   and IBM).  The recommendations in this regard have now been considered in the Minisry of Mines.

               In     order   to   ascertain    timely   acquisition   and dissemination   of    data    generated    under     Reconnaissance Permit/Large  Area  Prospecting Licences (under the Guidelines of October, 1996), the following guidelines are being prescribed:-

               a)    The raw and processed data related to the air-borne geo-physical survey along with the final copy of the  processed data shall be submitted in the triplicate to  the State Government (Department of Mines and Geology of the concerned State), who in turn would send one copy each to the Deputy Director General, AMSE Wing, GSI, Bangalore and Controller General, IBM, Nagpur for authentication, verification and storage.

              b)     The IBM, Nagpur would act as a nodal agency to monitor the progress of work as well as details about the relinquishment of areas etc. by the RP holder/PL holders. Every holder of PL/RP shall submit yearly report in prescribed form to the Controller General, IBM as per the provisions of Rule 3 of MCDR, 1988. The concerned State Governments would also provide regular information to IBM through their Director of Mines and Geology in accordance   with the provisions of MCR, 1960 and MCDR, 1988. The GSI  would seek all prospecting data or the data generated during the reconnaissance operations from IBM as and when required.

           c)    The ground follow-up data arising out of the air-borne geo-physical  surveys as well as data generated by way of  other   investigations   would    be  collected  by  StateGovernments as well as IBM as per the provisions of  Rule 3A to 3E of MCDR, 1988 and Rule 7(1)(vi) of MCR, 1960.

           d)    In accordance with Rule 7(1)(iii), every holder of a RP   shall  make  available  all  data collected by him to the   concerned  State  Government  which  shall act as a nodalagency to keep the data confidential during the lock-in period. IBM as well as GSI can ask for any data from the State Government with the condition that confidentiality be maintained.

           e)    After the lock-in period, the data may be made available   to        any        other       agency       undertaking reconnaissance/prospecting   operations   by    the  State Government at a price not exceeding the nominal copying cost.

                   Kindly acknowledge the receipt of the letter.

                                                         Yours faithfully,

            

                                           Sd/-

                                           ( Aditi S Ray )

                                             Director