The reforms will boost activity in parts of Queensland that needed small business and tourism growth by cutting red tape for small miners, Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said.

“The suite of amendments contained in the Mines and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 are the most significant reforms to Queensland’s small mining industry in decades,” he said.

“Small-scale mining activities in regions like Yowah, Quilpie, Emerald, Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Winton are important for local employment and tourism.”

Cripps said Environment Minister Andrew Powell had supported amendments that would reduce administrative and financial burdens on the small-scale mining sector.

“Small miners will now be able to conduct low-risk activities that will no longer attract the additional regulatory burden of an environmental authority, but must still comply with the general environmental duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1994,” he said.

“Burdensome environmental regulation and increasing fees, compliance costs and red tape have put pressure on small miners, driving down participation in the industry. These amendments will simplify administrative processes and reduce fees for small miners.”

Cripps said the amendments primarily focused on providing financial and regulatory relief for the opal and gemstone sector, and delivered on the government’s commitment in the July-December action plan.

“This is an important achievement that will help revitalise the industry in south-west and central-west Queensland.

“Amendments to the Mineral Resources Act 1989 will also allow small-scale opal and gemstone miners who operate on a mining lease to transition to a mining claim tenure, which is subject to fewer administrative requirements and fees.

“Holders of a mining lease for opal or gemstones will be able to apply to convert one or more mining leases to one or two mining claims, each up to 20 hectares in area.

“The converted leases will benefit from not having to pay rent under the mining claim framework and will not be required to lodge a royalty return, if the value of production is under a threshold, currently set at $100,000 per annum.”