REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON PEACE – WORK – FATHERLAND
PRESIDENCE DE LA REPUBLIQUE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC SECRETARIAT GENERAL SERVICE DU FICHIER LEGISLATIF ET REGLEMENTAIRE LEGISLATIVE AND STATUTORY AFFAIRS CARD INDEX SERVICE COPIE CERTIFIEE CONFORME CERTIFIED TRUE COPY
LAW N° 2023/014 OF 18 DEC 2023
RELATING TO THE MINING CODE
The Parliament deliberated and adopted, the President of the Republic hereby enacts the law set out below:
# PART I ## GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER I
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
SECTION 1: (1) This law lays down the Mining Code of Cameroon. It shall govern the reconnaissance, exploration, mining, possession, transportation, processing and marketing of mineral substances.
(2) The purpose of this law is to boost, encourage and promote investments in the mining sector that can contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
SECTION 2: (1) The provisions of this law shall apply throughout the territory of the Republic of Cameroon, in the continental shelf, territorial waters and the exclusive economic areas.
(2) Surface water, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons as well as bituminous schists shall be governed by specific instruments.
CHAPTER II
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 3: For the purposes of this law and the implementing instruments thereof, the following definitions shall apply:
Mining activity: reconnaissance, exploration, development, mining, processing, enrichment, transportation, storage, loading, marketing and mining site restoration and closure.
Quarry activity: reconnaissance, development, mining, processing, enrichment, transportation, storage, loading, marketing and mining site restoration and closure.
Authority in charge of mines: public entity particularly responsible for implementing the mining policy and promoting, monitoring and overseeing mining activities.
Refinement: production of a high purity mineral substance from a crude, processed or enriched product.
Farm-out: deed by which the holder of mining title transfers the mining of a deposit to a third party against payment of royalty or any other method of consideration agreed between the farm or and the farmee.
Anomaly: a feature observed in the normal characteristics of a mineral which suggests the presence of mineral traces or concentrations that could warrant mining.
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Artisanal miner: a natural adult person of Cameroonian nationality involved in artisanal mining activity on his own behalf and who is holder of an artisanal miner's card.
Artisanal mining: an operation consisting in using traditional methods and processes to extract and concentrate top- or sub-soil mineral substances at a maximum depth of ten (10) metres, and obtaining marketable products.
Competent authority: a public authority empowered to issue instruments granting, renewing and approving mining titles and other mining sector-related licences.
Artisanal mining licence: a legal document that confers on its holder the exclusive right to carry out artisanal mining within the assigned perimeter.
Semi-mechanized artisanal mining licence: a legal document that confers on its holder the exclusive right to carry out semi-mechanized artisanal mining within the assigned perimeter.