Restriction on persons to whom mineral rights may be granted

No mineral right– (a) shall be granted to an individual unless he is a citizen of Belize or has been continuously resident in Belize during the period of five years immediately preceding the date on which his application for the grant of a mineral right is made; (b) being a reconnaissance licence or an exclusive prospecting licence, shall be granted to a body corporate, unless the body corporate is a company or corporation incorporated in Belize; (c) being a mining licence, shall be granted to a body corporate unless the body corporate is a company or corporation incorporated in Belize; or 22 (d) being a reconnaissance licence, an exclusive prospecting licence or a mining licence, shall be granted to any person who is in the service of the Government of Belize or in the service of a statutory body established by any law for the time being in force.