Mines and Minerals Act.

The Act prescribes rules for the mining of minerals as defined in section 3 and related matters such supervision and control, administration and environment protection.
The Act consists of 121 sections divided into 13 Parts: Preliminary (I); Administration (II); Mineral Rights (III); Non-Exclusive Prospecting Licences and Claims (IV); Mining of Construction Minerals (V); Financial (VI); Protection of the Environment (VII); Reserved minerals (VIII); Restrictions on Surface Rights (IX); Disputes (X); Miscellaneous (XI); Regulations (XII); Transitional Provisions, Savings and Repeals (XIII). Property and control of minerals are vested in State of Belize (sect. 2).
The Minister may designate a technically qualified public officer to be the Inspector of Mines for the administration of this Act (sect. 5). The Minister may, on behalf of the Government, enter into an agreement, not inconsistent with this Act with any person with respect to the grant of a mineral right on the conditions specified in the agreement (sect. 9). The Inspector may issue reconnaissance licences, exclusive prospecting licences and mining licences in accordance with section 15 to 46. The Minister may, from time to time, make such arrangements as appear appropriate to him to secure that the holder of a mineral right complies with this Act (sect. 90). Section 93 requires the Minister and the Inspector to take into consideration environmental aspects when issuing rights or licences. The Minister may, pursuant to section 37 (4), require environmental impact assessment studies to be carried out.