An exploration licence (EL) is the principal title issued for exploration in the state of South Australia.
An exploration licence authorises the licensee, subject to the Mining Act 1971, regulations and conditions of the licence, to explore for all minerals and/or opal other than extractive minerals.
Minerals Regulatory Guideline MG33: Mineral exploration licences describes the exploration licensing framework.
Information about mineral exploration licence applications, licences, licence holders and exploration release areas is published in the following information sheets:
- M01 Mineral exploration licence applications Real-time updates
- M02 Mineral exploration licences Real-time updates
- M03 Mineral exploration licences - alphabetical index Real-time updates
- M04 Mineral exploration licence holders in South Australia Real-time updates
- M60 Mineral exploration licence monthly activity Quarterly updates
- M58 Mineral production tenement holders Real-time updates
- M53 Mineral exploration release areas (ERAs) – status report Real-time updates
Tenement information/SARIG
Information about current mineral tenements is available via the South Australian Resources Information Gateway (SARIG).
SARIG can be used to:
- Identify ground open for exploration licence application
- Download exploration data and reports
- Apply online for new exploration licences and renewals
- Track the processing status of an EL application
- Download mineral exploration application/licence reports M01, M02, M03, M04 (see above)
- Download and print state maps (updated daily) including:
- Mineral exploration tenement applications
- Mineral exploration licences
- Mineral exploration release areas
- Mineral production tenements
- Land access considerations, for example Parks, Aboriginal Land, Defence Lands etc.
Useful documents
- Advisory information for new EL holders (PDF, 133.9 KB)
- EL stakeholder engagement plan information (PDF, 100.9 KB)
- Environmental information for mineral explorers (PDF, 231.5 KB)
For more information
Mineral Tenements
Phone: +61 8 8463 3103
Email: DEM.Tenements@sa.gov.au
Postal address (for forms, report submissions):
Mineral Tenements
GPO Box 320
Adelaide SA 5001
Maps and historical information are available from:
Customer Services
Phone: +61 8 8463 3000
Email: DEM.CustomerServices@sa.gov.au