Mineral rights
Mineral rights in South Africa, in plain language.
Minerals belong to the State. What you hold is a right or permit granted under the MPRDA. This page sets out which one you need, how they differ, and exactly what each application costs.
No payment to begin. You get a written fixed-fee mandate letter before any work starts.
Who owns mineral rights?
Since 2004 the MPRDA has treated South Africa's minerals as the common heritage of all South Africans, with the State as custodian. Buying a farm does not buy you the minerals under it, and old private mineral title no longer stands on its own.
What exists today is a set of rights and permits the State grants, each with its own purpose, duration and application requirements.
The five main authorisations
Reconnaissance permission
Non-invasive surveys only, valid for 1 year, and it is not exclusive. No drilling, no sampling.
Prospecting right
Exclusive exploration of a defined area for a defined mineral. Up to 5 years, renewable once for 3 years.
Retention permit
Holds ground where a deposit is proven but cannot be mined economically yet. Up to 3 years, renewable once for 2.
Mining permit
Small-scale mining on 5 hectares or less. Up to 2 years, renewable three times.
Mining right
Full-scale mining of a named mineral. Up to 30 years, renewable for 30 years at a time.
What mineral rights cost
Four fixed-fee routes. Every tier is all-in: our work, the application documents, the consultation process and the departmental fees sit inside the price.
Prospecting right or retention permit
Open-ground checks, a compliant work programme, landowner and community consultation, and lodgement through to decision.
R90,000 all-in
- Open-ground and cadastral verification
- Work programme drafted and costed
- Landowner, occupier and community consultation record
- Lodgement on the departmental portal
- Departmental application fees included
- Section 96 appeal support if the application is refused
Mining permit (5 hectares or less)
Small-scale mining permit prepared and lodged through to grant, with the environmental and consultation work coordinated for you.
R225,000 all-in
- Mining permit application and work programme
- Environmental authorisation and EMPr coordination
- Financial provision quantified and lodged
- Consultation and objection handling
- All departmental fees included
Mining right application
A full MPRDA mining right: work programme, social and labour plan, environmental inputs and consultation run as one coordinated file.
R425,000 all-in
- Mining work programme and mine plan inputs
- Social and Labour Plan drafted
- Environmental authorisation, EMPr and water use alignment
- Full consultation record and objection management
- Lodgement, departmental queries and decision follow-through
- All departmental application fees included
Section 11 transfer, cession and registration
Ministerial consent for a transfer, cession or change of control, followed by notarial cession and registration at the MPTRO.
R110,000 all-in
- Section 11 consent application and motivation
- Compliance clean-up that consent depends on
- Notarial deed of cession drafted and executed
- Registration at the Mineral and Petroleum Titles Registration Office
- All departmental and registration fees included
Excluded and quoted separately if needed: mine engineering, specialist environmental fieldwork, and the rehabilitation financial provision itself.
How we work
Tell us about the ground
You complete a short online application. We confirm which right or permit fits, and what is missing.
Fixed mandate letter
Before any work starts you get a written mandate letter with the exact fee, what is included and what is not.
Prepare and lodge
We draft the application, work programme and consultation record, then lodge it with the department.
Through to grant
We answer departmental queries, handle objections and take the file to decision and registration.
Mineral rights questions, answered
Not sure which right you need?
Start the online application and pick “not sure yet”. We will tell you which route fits your ground and what it will cost.