The division Accepts and evaluates the following Mineral Licence applications:

• Non-Exclusive Prospecting Licences (NEPL): any person may Apply for a non-exclusive Prospecting licence, provided, in the case of a natural person, such person has reached the age of 18 years. The licence is valid for 6 months and its non renewable.
  [Application form Company] [Application form Natural Person]


• Mining Claims (MC): Available only to Namibian citizens for the development of small-scale mining.Mining claims are valid for 3 years and 2-year extension periods are possible provided that the claim is being developed or worked. Up to a maximum of ten claims can be held at any one time.
  [Application form Company] [Application form Natural Person]


• Reconnaissance Licence (RL): Designed for regional, mainly remotely sensing exploration, a reconnaissance licence is valid for six months on a non-renewable basis. This licence facilitates the identification of exploration targets [ Application form]


• Exclusive Prospecting Licences (EPL): This 3-year licence allows systematic prospecting in areas of up to 1,000 km². It gives exclusive exploration rights to the land and may be extended twice for two-year periods if demonstrable progress is shown. Renewals beyond seven years require special approval from the Minister.
  [Application form New EPL] [Application form EPL Renewal]


• Mineral Deposit Retention Licence (MDRL): This allows an exploration company in certain circumstances to retain tenure on a prospecting licence, mining licence or mining claim without mining obligations. It is valid for five years, with two-year renewal periods. The licence holder must, however, meet work and expenditure obligations and submit regular project reviews. [ Application form]


• Mining Licences (ML): This gives the holder the exclusive mining right in the licence area for a period of 25 years or the life of the mine, with renewals valid for 15-year periods. The holder is required to demonstrate the financial and technical ability to develop and operate a mine. A mining licence also gives the holder the exclusive right to approve the development of other mines on the same property. [ Application form]


• Transfers/Joint ventures (JV): Applicable to all mineral licences except the NEPL.
  [Application form EPL Transfer] [Application form Transfer of Mining Claims]


• Amendments: involves addition of commodity group and increase/decrease in area size. Applicable to all mineral licences except the NEPL, [ Application form]


• Export permits: issued in respect of mineral export outside of Namibia [ Application form]


• High Value Mineral permit (HVM): the permit is to sell and buy minerals, which are semi-precious.
  [Application form New] [Application form Renewal]