Access to land is critical for exploration.  Delays in securing title, however, are becoming recognised globally as an impediment to exploration.  Is a new class of exploration permit, able to be granted and relinquished quickly, providing explorers the ability to conduct non-disturbing, reconnaissance work only, a means of getting “boots on ground” more quickly and at lower cost?

Could the following work:

• Permit granted for a maximum period of 15 months.
• Permit fee based on area.
• No expenditure commitment.
• No option for renewal.
• Tenement holders have the ability to apply for an exploration licence during the term of the permit.
• Strictly low impact exploration: no track construction, no earthworks, sampling with hand tools only (e.g. hammer, trowel), samples not to exceed 500 g each, sample sites to be photographed.
• Airborne surveys using small UAV platforms with a minimum flight height specified to eliminate livestock disturbance.
• Landholder permission required to enter private land, recorded using a pro forma document.
• No environmental or cultural heritage clearance required.
• Diary of activities conducted on permit and data collected to be reported to government?

Rapid access to land could boost exploration productivity.  Advances in exploration technology such as hand held XRF analyses and UAV-based mapping and geophysical data collection systems have been game changing in how data can be collected for analysis.

Do they help to make this a practical option for facilitating technically and cost effective reconnaissance exploration?

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