Turkey has published rules for merging separate mining licenses into Mining Zones, addressing issues such as taxation, cancellation, tender, re-licensing and determining investment costs to establish Mining Zones.
The Regulation on the Mining Area and Merging Licences was published in Official Gazette number 30429 on 23 May 2018.
A Mining Zone will be declared if one of the following exists:
- Separate mining operations pose a danger because the licenced areas are adjacent and/or close to each other.
- Separate mining operations pose a risk to operational security and the projects cannot be efficiently operated separately due to reaching license limits.
- If there is more than one business license, the annual average particle emission values (dust, etc.) during operation, transport, explosion, crushing and other activities, exceeds environmental limits.
- A joint venture is needed in the settlement area due to its proximity to the zoning areas and environmental effects.
Licenses will be merged if at least two licensees, representing at least half of the licenses' total equivalent reserves, sign a license merger undertaking, then submit this to the General Directorate of Mining Affairs.
Please see this link for full text of the relevant legislation (only available in Turkish).
Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
