Minerals and Mining Policy 2015.

The Minerals and Mining Policy 2015 will direct the efforts of the mining industry towards harnessing its value-addition potential. The policy objectives of the Government for the mining sector are as follows: To ensure that the mineral wealth contributes to the national economic and social development; To mitigate the adverse social and environmental impacts of mineral development; To ensure equitable access, transparency and public participation in the sustainable development of the mining sector; To stimulate investment in the mining sector.
The Policy has strategies and policy directions organized under thematic areas: Mineral Exploration (Establishing a well-resourced and empowered Geological Survey Department/Agency; Consolidating existing information on mineral deposit potential; Carrying out geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys of the entire country at various scales; Updating geological maps, regional geochemical and geophysical maps to desired scales; Setting-up and managing of the national geological data bank; and Investing in laboratory technologies and build human and institutional capacity for mineral sample analysis to be done within the country); Fiscal and taxation regime (Sustaining the flow of much-needed mining investment by maintaining a mining fiscal and taxation regime that is competitive, predictable and consistent; Enhancing the scope and effectiveness of revenue recovery from the mining sector by adopting a simpler and more equitable mine taxation model based on gross sales; Eliminating negotiability in mining agreements; Putting in place measures aimed at arresting leakages of mineral revenue. The measures will include providing for transfer pricing control regulations; etc); Legal and Regulatory framework (Application of modern principles of transparency and accountability to the administration of mining laws and regulations; Inclusive and informed public participation and consultation in the governance of the sector; Introducing provisions for Judicial review with respect to administrative decision. Developing dispute resolution mechanisms; Facilitating local participation in mining investments; - Introducing provisions for existing license holders preferential rights); Value-addition (Developing a plan for facilitating beneficiation and value-adding industries linked to diamond mining and other minerals; Developing skills and technological base and enhancing capacity; etc); Domestic Empowerment and Integration of the Mining Sector in the National Economy (ù Requiring applications for mineral rights to be accompanied by indigenous empowerment plans; Providing for technology transfer and skills training; Giving employment preference to Basotho; - Maximising the use of locally-owned and indigenous mining service providers; etc); Artisanal snd small-scale mining - ASM (Creating a legal and regulatory framework for enabling and providing for ASM activities; Transforming informal ASM into a well regulated industry; Capacitating and empowering ASM operators with skills, technology and finance; etc); Creating Transparent and Accountable Mineral Sector Governance; Environmental Social and Economic Sustainability (taking all steps necessary to ensure the mining industry of Lesotho upholds the highest standards of environmental protection; comprehensive regulations and compliance monitoring and enforcement procedures; Providing for mine closure obligations and procedures including provision of an Environmental Protection; Empowerment of local people through skills and knowledge of the sector; - Making inclusive and informed consultation and participation of local communities in issues and decisions of material interest to them; ù Promoting and facilitating employment and participation of women in mining through the removal of obstacles which are impeding their involvement; Development and implementation of programmes to increase women’s participation in the extractive sector and ensure the retention of skilled women in the sector; Curbing the incidence of child labour in Lesotho’s mining industry; etc.); Supporting Regional Integration and Co-operation; Human Resources Development.