Vidhi Codex

DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATION) ACT, 1957

The Mines & Minerals Development Act, 1957

General195750 of 50 sections available3 chapters

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 provides a legal framework for managing and regulating the mining sector across India. It governs the grant of reconnaissance permits, prospecting licences, and mining leases for various minerals, establishing strict conditions and area limits for commercial operations. The law applies to mining companies, private individuals, and government bodies involved in mineral exploration and extraction. By placing mineral development under central control, establishing royalty payment structures, and imposing environmental safeguards and penalties for unlawful mining, this legislation ensures responsible resource conservation, systematic exploitation, and fair revenue generation for the state.

Start reading →Read full ActSections

Part A Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals →

  1. 1Short title, extent and commencement

Part B Atomic Minerals →

  1. 2Declaration as to the expediency of Union control
  2. 3Definitions
  3. 4Prospecting or mining operations to be under licence or lease
  4. 5Restrictions on the grant of prospecting licences or mining leases
  5. 6Maximum area for which a prospecting licence or mining lease may be granted
  6. 7Periods for which prospecting licences may be granted or renewed.
  7. 8Periods for which mining leases may be granted or renewed.
  8. 9Royalties in respect of mining leases.
  9. 10Application for prospecting licences or mining leases.

Part C Metallic and Non-Metallic Minerals →

  1. 11Preferential right of certain persons
  2. 12Registers of reconnaissance permits, prospecting licences and mining leases
  3. 13Power of Central Government to make rules in respect of minerals
  4. 14Sections 5 to 13 not to apply to minor minerals
  5. 15Power of State Governments to make rules in respect of minor minerals
  6. 16Power to modify mining leases granted before 25th Oct., 1949
  7. 17Special powers of Central Government to undertake prospecting or mining operations in certain lands
  8. 18Mineral Development
  9. 19Prospecting licences and mining leases to be void if in contravention of Act
  10. 20Act and rules to apply to all renewals of prospecting licences and mining leases
  11. 21Penalties
  12. 22Cognizance of offences
  13. 23Offences by companies
  14. 24Power of entry and inspection
  15. 25Recovery of certain sums as arrears of land revenue
  16. 26Delegation of powers
  17. 27Protection of action taken in good faith
  18. 28Rules and notifications to be laid before parliament and certain rules to be approved by parliament
  19. 29Existing rules to continue
  20. 30Power of revision of Central Government
  21. 31Relaxation of rules in special cases
  22. 32Amendments to Act 53 of 1948
  23. 33Validation of certain acts and indemnity
  24. 34Pyrophyllite
  25. 35Quartz Fifteen per cent of sale price on ad
  26. 36Ruby
  27. 37Silica sand, Moulding sand and Quartzite Eight per cent of sale price on ad
  28. 39Selenite Ten per cent of sale price on ad
  29. 40Sillimanite Two and half per cent of sale price on
  30. 41Silver
  31. 43Talc, Steatite and
  32. 44Tin Seven point five per cent of London
  33. 45Tungsten Twenty rupees per unit per cent of
  34. 46*** Uranium
  35. 47Atomic Energy.
  36. 48Vermiculite Three per cent of sale price on ad
  37. 49Wollastonite Twelve per cent of sale price on ad
  38. 50Zinc
  39. 51All other minerals

Some statutory text is still being prepared for this language version.

PDF: pending for this language.