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NSW Resources invited comment on the proposed Mine and Petroleum Site Safety (Cost Recovery) Regulation 2025.

The proposed Regulation will remake the Mine and Petroleum Site Safety (Cost Recovery) Regulation 2019, which is due to be automatically repealed on 1 September 2025, with minor changes.

Consultation was open for 4 weeks from Thursday 22 May to Wednesday 18 June 2025.

NSW Resources is currently considering the feedback provided through the consultation. Once finalised, a summary of the feedback received and a response from NSW Resources to the matters raised will be published on the consultation webpage.

Adverse vehicle interactions are a significant hazard on roads or other vehicle operating areas in mining operations, with the potential to cause fatalities and serious injury.

In 2023, the Resources Regulator developed a discussion paper and sought feedback on potential pathways to address adverse vehicle interactions in the NSW mining industry. Public consultation on the Vehicle interaction controls in NSW mines discussion paper (PDF, 606.55 KB) took place from 27 July 2023 until 8 September 2023. View the consultation page.

The discussion paper led to the formation of the Adverse Vehicle Interaction Advisory Committee (AVIAC). AVIAC recommended the development of a Technical Reference Guide (TRG) - Roads or other vehicle operating areas and provided oversight and acted as reference group for the TRG.

The Regulator developed a draft TRG - Roads or other vehicle operating areas principal hazard management plan for surface and open cut mining operations, in consultation with industry stakeholders through AVIAC. The Regulator undertook public consultation on the draft TRG from 3 February 2025 to 9 March 2025.

In response to significant feedback, the Regulator, in consultation with AVIAC, developed version 2 of the draft TRG - Roads or other vehicle operating areas principal hazard management plan for surface mining operations (PDF, 1.29 MB). Feedback was sought on version 2 from 2 May 2025 to 30 May 2025.

The Resources Regulator is currently considering the feedback obtained through the consultation on version 2 of the TRG.

View the Vehicle safety at mines consultation page.

NSW Resources has reviewed the framework for exploration reporting and the public release of exploration reports and data for authorities under the Mining Act. 

Public consultation on the revised Annual report release policy, Redaction guide and Exploration reporting guideline took place from 21 November 2023 to 25 January 2024. Two industry stakeholder sessions were held on 5 December 2023. 

A total of 3 submissions were received at close of the consultation period. The feedback received was carefully considered and many of the recommendations made have been incorporated into the final policy and guides. A summary of the consultation feedback (PDF, 196.56 KB) and the NSW Resources response is available.

The documents available for consultation were: 

• Revised annual report release policy (draft for consultation) (PDF, 317.79 KB) – the framework for the public release of annual reports after the five-year confidentiality period expires, incorporating previously excluded report types. The public release of reports and data supports new investment in exploration to meet the growing global demand for minerals, and meets the commitments of the NSW Minerals Strategy.

• Revised annual report redaction guide (draft for consultation) (PDF, 428.29 KB) – guidance for authority holders who wish to redact commercially sensitive and proprietary information from historical reports prior to public release, for those reports submitted prior to 1 January 2022. 

• Revised exploration reporting guideline (draft for consultation) (PDF, 524.4 KB) – updated requirements for reports submitted under the Mining Act including the structure, content and data format. The drafted revisions reflect the availability of a new mineral exploration data template, reporting templates, large file lodgement options, an online report builder in Titles Management System (TMS), and support the annual report release policy. 

A frequently asked questions document (PDF, 294.05 KB)was prepared to support the consultation, providing details about the proposed changes and anticipating potential questions. 

The revised Annual report release policy and Exploration reporting guideline commenced operating on 28 March 2024. The information is published on our Exploration Reporting web page.

The NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024-35 was developed following a comprehensive consultation process that involved public submissions, targeted stakeholder engagement, and a Ministerial Roundtable.

This attracted responses from a broad cross-sector including mining companies, industry associations, unions, environmental and community groups, research organisations, universities and individuals.

Download a copy of the strategy.

NSW Resources progressed a range of reforms that supported the responsible development of the State’s mineral resources.

The NSW Government undertook a review of mining regulations, policies and processes to improve transparency, efficiency and community confidence in line with best practice regulation. As a result of this review, a set of legislative amendments were made to improve the regulatory framework and processes for mineral resource development in NSW.

The Mining and Petroleum Legislation Amendment Act 2022 (the amending Act) received assent in June 2022 and a first stage of reforms under the amending Act commenced operating in October 2022.

Public consultation on a second stage of regulatory reforms in support of the amending Act took place from 21 September to 19 October 2022. Five submissions were received. The feedback received was carefully considered and some of the recommendations made have been incorporated into the Mining Amendment Regulation 2022.

• A summary of the consultation feedback and the MEG response is available here (PDF, 201.06 KB).

On 14 December 2022, the Governor approved the commencement of the relevant amending Act provisions. The accompanying amendment Regulations were also made and an order for the establishment of a Mineral Allocation Area (MAA) for hydrogen and non-metals was declared.

• An explanatory guide to the second stage of reforms is available here (PDF, 1.4 MB).

All the provisions in the Mining Amendment Regulation 2022 commenced operating on
1 March 2023, with the exception of the following three provisions:

• partial cancellations of authorities to identify the land sought to be retained which commenced on 13 January 2023 in conjunction with associated amendments of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No 2) 2022
• future fee and levy adjustment consultation processes which commenced on 1 May 2023, alongside the amending Act’s Schedule 1[120]
• the use of the Map Grid of Australia 2020 standard with certain applications under the Mining Act 1992 which commenced on 1 March 2024.

The Petroleum (Onshore) Amendment Regulation 2022 commenced on 1 March 2023.

The commencement proclamation listing the sections of the amending Act being commenced together with the amendment Regulations can be accessed on the NSW Legislation website.

View the closed public consultation for: Draft Mining Amendment Regulation 2022 and draft Petroleum (Onshore) Amendment Regulation 2022.

The NSW Government is progressing a range of reforms to support the responsible development of the State’s mineral resources and to help position NSW to become Australia’s premier destination for exploration and mining investment.

NSW Resources undertook consultation on a draft Suspension of Mining Operations Policy (PDF, 87.55 KB) from 16 February to 18 March 2022.

The policy aims to clarify the statutory condition on mining leases that requires the lease holder to obtain written consent to suspend mining operations in the mining area and to only suspend operations in accordance with that consent. The policy details how consent to suspend mining operations will be provided, the application process to be followed and the circumstances that will be considered when granting, refusing or revoking consent to suspend mining operations.

Read a summary of consultation submissions and responses (PDF, 183.26 KB).

The Suspension of Mining Operations Policy (PDF, 87.55 KB) commenced operation on 1 August 2022.

For further information about the policy and how to apply, please refer to the Suspension of mining operations page.

The Resources Regulator sought comment from interested parties on the maintenance of competence requirements for practising certificates for certain statutory functions under the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013. The consultation period was from 13 November 2023 to 16 February 2024.

Click here to view the consultation page.

The exposure draft of the proposed Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 was available for public comment.

The Regulation re-makes the existing Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014 with some amendments, as part of the staged repeal of statutory rules under the Subordinate Legislation Act 1989.

The Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2022 commenced on 1 September 2022 and can be accessed through the NSW Legislation website. 

Click here to view the consultation page

The Regulator sought comment from interested parties on proposed amendments to the Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013 and Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014 (WHS (MPS) laws). The Act and regulation can be found on the NSW legislation website.

Visit the consultation page.

In 2021 submissions were sought on the guidelines supporting new standard mining lease conditions that require progressive rehabilitation, rehabilitation risk assessment, annual reporting, and detailed rehabilitation management planning. The new mining lease conditions were developed to replace existing rehabilitation conditions on current mining leases and have been added to all new mining leases through the regulation.

Visit the consultation page.

Feedback was sought in 2019 from the mining industry regarding the application of a diesel particulate exposure standard for mines in NSW.

Visit the consultation page.

On behalf of the Mining and Petroleum Competence Board, comment was sought in 2019 from stakeholders on the discussion paper for a possible new statutory function of Geotechnical Engineering in underground coal mines.

Visit the consultation page.

In 2018, feedback was sought on a discussion paper on the use and possible regulation of mitigation strategies for the prevention of fires on mobile plant.

Visit the consultation page.

In 2019, comments were sought from stakeholders on the Mining and Petroleum Competence Board’s proposal to increase experience requirements.

Visit the consultation page.