Mining Act (No. 44/1988).

The purpose of this act is to establish principles of protection and rational utilisation of mineral resources, mainly in prospecting, exploration, development, preparation and mining of deposits of minerals, dressing and benefit of minerals carried out in relation to their mining, as well as safety operation and protection of the environment during these activities. Solid, liquid and gaseous portions of the earth's crust are considered to be minerals according to this act. The following is not considered to be a mineral according to this act: a) waters with exception of mineralised waters, from which reserved minerals can be obtained in the industrial manner; b) natural medical waters and natural potable mineral waters, even if reserved minerals can be obtained from them in the industrial manner, further medical mud and other products of natural medical sources; c) peat; d) mud, sand, gravel and pebbles in beds of the rivers, until they contain reserved minerals in the workable quantity; e) cultural layer of soil, which represents the vegetative environment of plants. The mineral deposit is a natural accumulation of minerals, as well as the filling in underground mine, abandoned dump, stock pile or setting pit, which have been created by mining activity, and which contain minerals (art. 4). Mineral wealth is owned by the Slovak Republic (art. 5). During prospecting and exploration of exclusive deposits, the organization shall, from the point of view of protection and rational utilisation of mineral wealth: explore the exclusive deposit in such a way to identify and assess all usable minerals of the deposit and their utility components (art. 11). The quantities of the exclusive deposit reserves and changes in them shall be recorded by the administrators, or by the permanent users of the exclusive deposit (art. 22).