Mines and Minerals Act, 1931

Several applications in respect of same right.

24.—(1) Where separate applications are made by two or more persons for a mining right to work the same minerals and both such applications are referred to the Board, the Board shall, in their report, report to the Minister, and the Minister shall determine to which, if any, of the applicants such right should be granted, or whether the right to work one part of the minerals should be granted to one applicant and the right to work another part should be granted to another applicant.

(2) In making a report on such separate applications the Board shall report how the minerals can be most conveniently worked and in arriving at his determination the Minister shall have regard to such report, to the respective rights of the applicants in the surface or adjacent minerals, and generally to all the circumstances of the case.

(3) This section shall apply to cases of applications by two or more persons for the same ancillary rights subject to the necessary modifications, and in particular subject to this modification, that any such right may be granted to the applicants, or to any two or more of them, jointly.