25 Aug
Applications for 286 artisanal and manageable-scale jade mining blocks in Phakant, Kachin State are available at One-Stop Service centre in the office complex of the state starting from 24 August, said U Nyan Lin Aung, head of township Department of General Administration, who also acts as chair of township mining block monitoring and proposal assessment team.
In Phakant, a total of 376 mining blocks for artisans were first called for applications, and 332 applications were sold. However, only 141 were submitted then. Kachin State government granted permission only for 87 blocks following the existing rules and regulations.
Dashi La Seng, regional Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation said that it is the second time that the state granted artisanal and manageable-scale mining blocks which were remained from the first-time invitation.
As per the rules of manageable-scale gems mining, a block is meant an acre. An artisan who wants to operate manageable-scale mining must hold National Registration Card belong to Kachin State. Only one block can be applied per census. Additionally, those residents holding NRC registered in Phakant were given priority. There is a competitive price on deposit rather than floor price if applicants are interested in the same mining blocks.
Those operators must deposit floor price of K500,000 per one artisanal and manageable-scale block, along with registration fee K3,000, application fee K1,000, K50,000 for inspection charges and K100,000 for Corporate Social Responsibility fund.
During one-year after permit, they must operate using only small machines such as pumps, air ventilation, generators, drilling machines at the permitted mining sites, and heavy machines are strictly banned.
Those who have been granted permits for small and medium-scale mining are not eligible to apply for those manageable-scale blocks. The applicants must not be members of the board of directors from a particular gem company, Kachin State Mining Block Assessment Team stated.
The deposit will be refunded if they are not allowed for operation. If mining operators abide by the prescribed rules and regulations, they can extend the licence.
Tar Ling Maung (IPRD) (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
