Annual report release policy and exploration reporting

Mining, Exploration and Geoscience (MEG) is committed to effective engagement with our key stakeholders. 

During 2021 MEG consulted on the framework for release of annual reports. This industry feedback helped MEG shape a practical process to implement the release for both existing and future reports. During that time some types of reports were excluded from the Annual report release policy, on the understanding that future consultation would occur prior to bringing some of the excluded reports into the policy.

Mining, Exploration and Geoscience (MEG) is now consulting on a revision to the Annual report release policy, which will introduce the release of new report types initially excluded from the policy. 

The revised Annual report release policy will be accompanied by revisions to the Annual report redaction guide (Redaction guide), and the guideline Exploration reporting: A guide for reporting on exploration and prospecting in New South Wales (Exploration reporting guideline). 

The documents available for consultation include:

• Draft for consultation revised annual report release policy (PDF, 317.79 KB) – an outline of the framework for the public release of annual reports after the five-year confidentiality period expires, incorporating previously excluded report types.

• Draft for consultation revised annual report redaction guide (PDF, 428.29 KB) – provides direction for authority holders who wish to redact information from historical reports.

• Draft for consultation revised exploration reporting guideline (PDF, 524.4 KB) – the existing guideline for exploration reporting in NSW is being revised to support the revised annual report release policy and the availability of a new mineral exploration data template and an online report builder in Titles Management System (TMS).

Annual report release policy and Redaction guide

The Annual report release policy was initially published in October 2021, and annual reports from exploration licences and assessment leases for Group 1-6 and 10 minerals have been publicly released under the policy since 2022.

The NSW Government has committed to making historical exploration data available as part of the NSW Minerals Strategy. The aim of the NSW Minerals Strategy is to make New South Wales the premier destination for mining investment in Australia, and to support growing global demand for minerals.

The proposed revisions to the Annual report release policy and Redaction guide provide updated information about reports eligible for release, the release process, and the opportunity to redact personal, proprietary or commercially sensitive information from an annual report prior to release.

The key changes to the Annual report release policy include:

• Annual reports for mining leases will not be released under the Annual report release policy.
• Annual reports for mineral groups 1-6 and 10 that were subject to a ‘flow-on’ condition will now be released under the revised Annual report release policy. The reference to ‘flow-on’ title has now been removed from all remaining mining lease conditions.
• Annual reports for mineral group 1-6 and 10 exploration licences and assessment leases that were historically group reported under an approved reporting group with a mining lease, where that mining lease remains in force, will not be released. This is to be consistent with not releasing mining lease reports.
• Annual reports for mineral group 1-6 and 10 exploration licences and assessment leases that overlie a subsurface mining lease or are stratified between subsurface mining leases, where that mining lease remains in force, will not be released for any reports submitted after the grant of the associated mining lease.
• Annual reports for Group 7 small scale titles (opal prospecting licences and mineral claims) will not be released under the Annual report release policy. Annual reports for exploration licences and assessment leases outside of outside of an opal prospecting area that include Group 7 minerals will be released. 
• Annual reports for Group 9 will not be released however, baseline geological data (see glossary) submitted with Group 9 reports will be released.  
• Annual reports for Group 8, Group 11 and Group 12 are included for release of any future reports submitted.

Exploration reporting guideline

The Exploration reporting guideline was last updated in February 2022 (V4.0). The revised Exploration reporting guideline has been updated to reflect:

• the release of new report types under the Annual report release policy
• the availability of an online report building tool in Titles Management System (TMS)
• the availability of new report templates
• the availability of a new mineral exploration data template, and
• general administrative updates. 

Further information

Further details about the proposed changes are available in the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 213.16 KB) (FAQs).

Two online stakeholder briefing sessions will be held to summarise the key changes and allow stakeholders to ask questions. 

• The session on 5 December 2023 will be for holders of Group 9 (coal) authorities. Please register here. 
• The session on 5 December 2023 will be for holders of Group 1-6, 8, 10, 11 and 12 authority holders. Please register here.

Further questions can be sent via email to redaction@regional.nsw.gov.au.