25 Mar 2014

The Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources has put in place mechanism used to validate information submitted by minerals prospecting license holders.

Defence, justice and security minister, Mr Dikgakgamatso Seretse said this was done to ensure that prospecting companies did not manipulate the country’s wealth.

“The mechanism in place to validate information submitted by prospecting license holders is through evaluation of quarterly reports by the ministry officials, which is done against the approved programme of prospecting.

The prospecting license holder is required to carry out as a minimum a programme of work approved at issuance of the license,” explained Mr Seretse when answering a question on behalf of the minister of minerals. He stated that officers also inspected the prospecting sites to validate reports submitted by prospectors to the ministry.

He added that mining companies were required to submit monthly production reports to the Department of Mines, and these reports were reviewed against the approved programme of mining. “The departments also uses inspections and audits to verify performance of mines,” said Mr Seretse.

The minister said a company could hold a prospecting license for an initial period of 3 years, which was renewable twice for up to two years.

Shoshong MP, Mr Phillip Makgalemele had asked the minister to state mechanisms used to validate information presented by prospecting companies, and the number of years a company can hold prospecting licenses. Ends