An Exploration Permit is granted pursuant to an order of the Minister, on the recommendation of the MPCD, after receiving the approval of the Technical Committee of Titles, to the applicant whose application complies with the regulations of this Code and its implementing provisions, and who possesses sufficient technical and financial capability, as well as commitments for works and expenses that are deemed to be acceptable.
The MPCD is responsible for evaluating the application and for land survey.
The National Mining Authority and the Ministry in charge of the Environment, in conjunction with the Technical Committee of Titles, are responsible for the technical and environmental evaluation and related opinions.
The Minister in charge of Mines is responsible for the decision to approve or reject Mining Titles as well as its notification and publication.
The terms for granting are:
- For areas without geological information or with geological information which does not identify a Deposit: “the first applicant receives the title”.
- For areas that have already been prospected, containing a known Deposit or a Deposit that has attracted interest from several companies, the granting procedure will be by competitive and transparent tender offers and transparent call for tenders in accordance with the rules to be set out in regulations, and approved by the National Mining Commission. The call for ender offers must be completed within a maximum period of one (1) year from the effective date of the order of the Minister reserving the Deposit that is the subject of the call for tenders.
On the recommendation of the Minister in charge of Mines, a decree of the President of the Republic will launch the formal call for tender offers.
An Exploration Permit for Semi-industrial Operations shall be granted exclusively to individuals of Guinean nationality, companies wholly owned by Guinean nationals and to foreign nationals of countries which grant reciprocity to Guinean nationals.
The instruments that establish the grant, expansion, renewal, transfer, the Lease, revocation or renunciation of Mining Titles must be published in the official gazette and on the official Website of the Ministry in charge of Mines, or any other site designated by the Minister.
The opening of geographical areas for exploration should be widely disseminated.
The advertisement, by call for tenders, of already prospected Perimeters, with a view to the grant of an Exploration Permit must be published in at least two widely circulated newspapers and at least 45 days before the deadline for the submission of tenders.