Mineral licences
In Victoria, you need a licence for minerals exploration and mining.
Licence types
Exploration licence
An exploration licence gives the licence holder exclusive rights to explore for specific minerals within the specified licence area.
No mining activities can be undertaken on an exploration licence.
Retention licence
A retention licence is suitable where a mineral resource is identified but the resource is not yet commercially viable to mine but may become so in the future. Or the resource is required to support an existing mining operation in the future.
Mining licence
A mining licence holder is entitled to mine the land covered by the licence; explore for minerals and construct mining facilities related to the mining operation.
Prospecting licence
Prospecting licences allow prospectors and small-scale miners to explore or mine in an area less than 5 hectares.
Miner's Right
A Miner's Right is used for hobbyist prospectors and fossickers to search for minerals, similar to a fishing licence.
Submit your application online
You can submit and manage most minerals licence or work authority applications and variations online via the Resources Rights Allocation and Management (RRAM) portal.
If you are unsure of your RRAM login details, contact RRAM support.
If you are unable to access RRAM you can download the relevant form from the licence forms page.
Page last updated: 29 Feb 2024