Application for Mineral Exploration License

Description

By law, mineral resources mined in Cambodia are banned from export. Only finished products are allowed for export, and these products must be originated from mineral resources mined in the concession area and manufactured or processed in plants local to Cambodia.

To be a concessionaire of any concession area, applicant must apply for and be granted mining license. There are various types of mining license, but two specific licenses that will be of concern to importer/exporter are: exploration license and industrial mining license, of which the former is prerequisite for application for the later.

However, before requesting for license from Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), applicant must register himself at the ministry, sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Geological Survey with MME, conduct feasibility study and have its reported approved by the ministry first.

This document shows the application process for Mineral Exploration License. Applicant is eligible to lodge this application only after having his feasibility study technical report approved by the ministry. And, only holder of this Mineral Exploration License is eligible for applying for Industrial Mining License, which in turn allows import/export of the finished mineral products.

Place for submitting application

Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has no one Single Window. Applicant may go to the ministry’s administrative and general affair department for information relevant to various kinds of public service the ministry provides.

For all types of CLPs relevant to import of export of finished/processed mineral products, applicant would go directly to the Secretariat of General Department of Mines Resource which is the ministry’s technical agency in charge of issuing the certificate above. Applicant comes to the Secretariat to inquire about the service, get sample application forms, submit, pay fee, and collects the requested all types of authorization documents.

Address of the Secretariat of General Department of Mines Resource:

Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME)

Address: #79-89, St. 51., Sangkat Phsar Tmeiy 3, Khan Doun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Tel: (855) 23 219574

E-mail: info@mme.gov.kh

Website: http://www.mme.gov.kh/

Note 1

Applicant can get sample application form at the Secretariat of General Department of Mines Resource.

Note 2

Supporting Documents include:

• Copy of Mining Business Registration Certification
• Company’s location documents, certified by local authority
• Annual financial report for the latest 3 years of the company’s business, certified by financial institution
• Plans for mineral exploration and/or mining and budget
• Documents of evidences showing company’s technical experience, labor, equipment and machinery to conduct mineral exploration and/or exploitation
• Reports on environmental impact assessment, restoration plan for mined sites and management
• Plan for recruitment of Cambodians (employment, education and training of Cambodian citizens to be skilled in mineral operations
• Plan for procurement of goods and services obtainable in Cambodia

If applicant submits copied version of any supporting documents that is relevant to applicant’s identification including Business Registration Certificate and Tax Registration Certificate, it is normal requirement that these copied documents be certified by competent authorities first.

Note 3

Internal process starts from technical office inside the department and go through several consideration and approval process by relevant officers/offices in institutional hierarchy order.

During this internal process, applicant may be asked or advised (practically by phone call) by officer to provide further information and/or documents for the completeness of application.

This process would results in primary approval on the application and only then the Secretariat of General Department of Mines Resource may advise applicant about this primary approval and ask applicant to come to pay required service fee.

Note 4

Service fee in issuing the license is 6.000.000 KHR.

Note 5

The license is valid for 2 years. Applicant may bring identification documents of himself and application filing receipt/payment receipt when he comes to collects the certificate. 

Holder of this Mineral Exploration License is eligible for applying for Industrial Mining License anytime during the validity of the Mineral Exploration License.