Mines Act, 1952 (Act No. 35 of 1952).

This Act, consisting of 88 sections divided into 10 Chapters, provides for mining activities, in particular sections 7,8,9, 40,45 and 46 apply to the following matters: (b) any mine or part thereof in which excavation is being made for prospecting purposes only and not for the purpose of obtaining minerals for use or sale; (i) not more than twenty persons are employed on any one day in connection with any such excavation. (ii)the depth of the excavation measured from its highest to its lowest point nowhere exceeds six, metres or, in the case of an excavation for coal fifteen metres: and (iii) no part of such excavation extends below superjacent ground; or (b) any mine engaged in the extraction of kankar, murrum laterite, boulder, gravel, shingle, ordinary sand (excluding moulding sand, glass sand and other mineral sands), ordinary clay (excluding kaolin, china clay, white clay or fire clay), building stone, slate, road metal, earthy fullers earth, marl chalk and lime stone. Provided that: (i) the working do not extend below superjacent ground: or (ii) where it is an open cast working: (a) the depth of the excavation measured from its highest to its lowest point nowhere exceeds six metres; (b)the number of persons employed on any one day does not exceed fifty; and (c) explosives are not used in connection with the excavation. In addition, it provides for gender issues related to mining.
The Act is divided as follows: Preliminary (I); Inspectors and Certifying Surgeons (II); Committees (III); Mining Operations and Management of Mines (IV); Provision as to Health and Safety (V); Hours and Limitation of Employment (VI); Leave with Wages (VII); Regulations, Rules and Bye-Laws (VIII); Penalties and Procedure (IX).