Section 13, Cap 196

(1) The Governor may grant an exclusive prospectinglicence to any person who has by himself or by a person in his employ prospected the area over which the licence is applied for. (2) Application for an exclusive prospecting licence shall be in the prescribed form, and the applicant shall satisfy the Governor that he has sufficient capital to ensure the proper prospecting of the area in respect of which the application is made and the payment of any compensation which may be payable to the owners and occupiers of the land in respect of which the licence is required, and shall, if required by the Governor or by the rules, furnish a financial guarantee for such sum as the Governor may direct or as may be prescribed. (3) The Govern?r n~ay grant or withh?ld the grant of an e:x:clusive prospectmg hcence as he rna y thmk proper: Provided that a person who has previously held an exclusive licence shall not, within a period of one year thereafter, be granted a further licence in respect of any portion of the area in respect of which he has previously held a licence. This prohibition shall extend to any person associated with the former holder of the licence. (4) If application is received for the same area or for overlapping areas from two or more persons and there should arise any doubt as to which of them has priority for his claim, the decision of the Governor thereon shall be final, unless the Governor shall direct that their claims shall be referred to arbitration: Provided that where an application has been made for an area, no application by another person covering the whole or part of such area shall be considered as being in dispute with the first application unless lodged with the Chief Inspector of Mines within a period of twenty-four hours of the receipt by such officer of the first application. (5} An exclusive prospecting licence shall not be granted in 9 of 1958. respect of any area exceeding eight square miles or of an area less than one square mile, if a full square mile is available. In the case of precious minerals the area of an exclusive prospecting licence shall not exceed two square miles nor be less than one quarter of a square mile, if an area of one quarter of a square mile is available. (6) An exclusive prospecting licence shall be granted for one year from the date thereof, subject to renewal, at the discretion of the Governor, for further terms of one year each up to a maximum of three years in the case of an alluvial working, and of six years in the case of a lode working: Provided, however, that the Governor may, on such terms as he may think proper, grant a renewal of such licence in respect of an alluvial working for a fourth year if it be shown to his satisfaction that prospecting operations have been stopped or seriously hindered by special circumstances beyond the control of the licensee: Provided further that in the case of a lode working the Governor may, on any renewal of such licence, direct that such renewal shall be allowed in respect of a speci1'i.ed portion only of the area of the licence. S.L.-VoL. IV-7 Notice to be given to owners or occupiers of land. Who may require that security be given. Rights under an exclusive 9 of 1958. Transfer of rights under Minerals raised by the holder of a right or of an exclusive licer.ce not to be removed except with the consent of the Chief Inspector of Mines.