Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (No. 28 of 2002).

The objects of this Act are, inter alia, to promote equitable access to the nation's mineral and petroleum resources to all the people of South Africa, to promote economic growth and mineral and petroleum resources development in the Republic, to provide for security of tenure in respect of prospecting, exploration, mining and production operations, to ensure that the nation's mineral and petroleum resources are developed in an orderly and ecologically sustainable manner.
The Act consists of 111 sections divided into 7 Chapters: Definitions (1); Fundamental Principles (2); Administration (3); Mineral and Environmental Regulation (4); Minerals and Mining Development Board (5); Petroleum Exploration and Production (6); general and Miscellaneous Provisions (7).
For the purposes of this Act the Minister must, by notice in the Gazette, divide the Republic, the sea as defined in section 1 of the Sea-shore Act, 1935 (Act No. 21 of 1935), and the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf referred to in sections 7 and 8 respectively, of the Maritime Zones Act, 1994 (Act No. 15 of 1994), into regions (sect. 7). The Director-General of the Department of Minerals and Energy shall designate an officer in the service of the Department as regional manager for each region contemplated in section 7 who must perform the functions delegated or assigned to him or her in terms of this Act or any other law. Section 37 specifies environmental management principles applying to all prospecting and mining operations. Sections 38 and 39 provide for environmental impact assessment. Every person who has applied for a mining right in terms of section 22 shall submit also an environmental management. The Minerals and Mining Development Board is established under section 57. The Board shall act as adviser to the Minister and carry out other functions set out in section 58.