Restriction on grant of reconnaissance licence

(1) No reconnaissance licence shall be granted over an area of land in, or which constitutes– (a) a prospecting area if a person, other than the person to whom the reconnaissance licence is to be granted, is the holder of an exclusive prospecting licence over the area in respect of a mineral to which the reconnaissance licence would relate; (b) a mining area; or (c) a claim area. (2) Where an area of land is subject to a reconnaissance licence which, pursuant to section 19 (4), gives to the holder of the licence an exclusive right to carry on reconnaissance operations in that area, no other reconnaissance licence shall be granted over land in, or which constitutes, that area in respect of any mineral to which that exclusive right relates. (3) Where it is necessary to fly over any land for the purpose of the exercise of any right under section 22, nothing in this section may be construed to prevent any such flight from being undertaken.