Application for renewal of exclusive prospecting licence

(1) The holder of an exclusive prospecting licence may, not later than three months before the expiration of the licence, apply for the renewal of the licence in respect of an area of land– (a) of such shape as may be prescribed; and (b) which is not greater in extent than half of the prospecting area as at the date of the grant of the licence, unless the Minister otherwise (2) An application under sub-section (1)49 (a) shall state the period for which renewal of the licence is sought; (b) shall be accompanied– (i) by a report on prospecting operations then carried out and the costs incurred in carrying them out; and (ii) by a statement giving particulars of the proposed to be carried out in the period of renewal, an estimate of any significant effect which the carrying out of the programme would be likely to have on the environment and on any monument or relic in the area over which renewal of the licence is sought, and an estimate of the cost of carrying out the programme; (c) shall be accompanied by a plan identifying the area of land in respect of which renewal of the licence is sought; and (d) shall give particulars of any alteration in the matter shown in the application for the grant of the licence pursuant to section 24(a). (3) Subject to sub-sections (4) and (5), on application duly made for the renewal of an exclusive prospecting licence, the Minister shall renew the licence for a period not exceeding one year. (4) The Minister shall refuse to renew an exclusive (a) if50 (i) the applicant has not paid the prescribed fees and complied with other conditions for the grant of the (ii) the of operations proposed to be carried out is not satisfactory; or (iii) the area of land in respect of which renewal of the licence is sought does not meet the requirements of sub- section (1) (a) and (b); (b) if the Minister has given to the applicant notice of his intention to refuse to renew the licence– (i) giving in the notice particulars of the grounds for the intended refusal; and (ii) stating a date before which the applicant may take appropriate action or make representation in relation to that ground; and (c) if the applicant has not, before that date, remedied the default or, in a notice given to the Minister, made appropriate amendments to his application, or made representations, which, in the opinion of the Minister, remove the ground for the intended refusal. (5) An application under sub-section (1) for the renewal of an exclusive prospecting licence may be made on not more than two occasions and, accordingly, the power under sub-section (3), may be exercised in relation to an exclusive prospecting licence on not more than two occasions. 51 (6) Where a prospecting licence has been renewed pursuant to sub-section (5), on two occasions, the Minister– (a) on the request of the holder of the licence; and (b) if he considers it in the public interest to do so, may, by instrument in writing, extend the term of the licence with effect from the date of expiry of the last period of renewal for such period, and on such conditions, as is specified in the