Governmental Decree No. 561 “On licensing of subsoil management”.

This Governmental Decree regulates the organization of the licensing system, including the issuance of licenses for the right to use subsoil resources, suspension and termination of subsoil use rights, changes in licenses and licensing agreements, as well as the transformation and reissuance of licenses. The right to use subsoil resources is not granted in cases when such use of subsoil resources will be carried out in channels or on the banks of border rivers and other waterbodies. The right to use subsurface resources in the areas adjacent to the State border of the Kyrgyz Republic and in the border zone shall be exercised on the basis of the permit issued by the authorized state body in the sphere of protection of the state border. All types of subsoil management for all types of minerals, including freshwater resources, mineral and thermal underground waters, shall be subject to licensing, with the exception of concession of subsoil management rights under the concession agreement and production sharing agreement. The license is granted by the results of the tender, auction and consideration of applications according to the rule "of the first submitted application". Granting of the right subsoil resources management under the rule "of the first application" for the purpose of geological prospecting, exploration and development shall be made in accordance with the following procedure: (a) for subsoil areas, except for areas of subsoil resources allotted through a tender or auction; and (b) for areas of subsoil resources not related to the geological study of subsurface resources and development of mineral deposits. The exploration license grants the exclusive right to conduct exploration works for the declared types of minerals within the licensed area.