REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON PEACE - WORK - FATHERLAND
THE PRIME MINISTER, HEAD OF GOVERNMENT,
Mindful of the Constitution;
Mindful of Act No. 8/65-UDEAC-37 of 14 December 1965 relating to the CEMAC Customs Code and its subsequent amendments;
Mindful of Law No. 96/12 of 5 August 1996 on the framework law relating to environmental management;
Mindful of Law No. 98/015 of 14 July 1998 to regulate establishments classified as dangerous, unhealthy, and inconvenient;
Mindful of Law No. 2002/003 of 19 April 2002 on the General Tax Code and its subsequent amendments;
Mindful of Law No. 2023/014 of 19 December 2023 relating to the Mining Code;
Mindful of Ordinance No. 74/1 of 6 July 1974 to establish rules governing land tenure;
Mindful of Ordinance No. 74/2 of 6 July 1974 to establish rules governing state lands;
Mindful of Decree No.92/089 of 4 May 1992 to specify the duties of the Prime Minister, as amended and supplemented by Decree No.95/145-a of 4 August 1995;
Mindful of Decree No.2011/408 of 9 December 2011 to organize the Government, as amended and supplemented by Decree No.2018/190 of 8 March 2018;
Mindful of Decree No.2019/001 of 4 January 2019 to appoint a Prime Minister, Head of Government;
HEREBY DECREES AS FOLLOWS:
CHAPTER I GENERAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE 1.- This decree lays down the terms and conditions for the tapping of spring water, mineral and thermo-mineral water and geothermal deposits.
ARTICLE 2.- (1) Spring water, mineral and thermo-mineral water and geothermal deposits shall be part of the public property of the State.
(2) Spring water, mineral and thermo-mineral water must be derived from a direct catchment extracted, either from a natural water source, or from an artificial structure such as a well or borehole.
ARTICLE 3.- For the purposes of this decree, the following definitions shall apply:
Address: Complete contact details, including residence, post office box number, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address belonging to a person, who provides them to the Ministry in charge of mines, and through which any official communications may be channelled to him/her;
Mining Licence: An administrative instrument that confers on its holder or beneficiary the exclusive right to carry out mining works or activities for which it has been issued within the assigned perimeter;
Packaging licence: Legal instrument that confers on its beneficiary the exclusive right to package spring water, mineral and thermo-mineral water or the product of geothermal deposits intended for public consumption;
Competent authority: Public authority empowered to issue, renew or approve mining titles and licences granted in the sector;
Registration: Entry of data in the Mining Titles Register;
Water protection perimeter: Area limiting the catchment point for spring water, mineral and thermo-mineral water;
Permit: A legal instrument that confers on its holder or beneficiary the exclusive or non-exclusive right, where appropriate, to carry out activities or works for which it is issued within the allotted perimeter;
Mineral substances: Amorphous or crystalline, solid, liquid or gaseous natural substances, as well as fossilized organic substances and geothermal deposits;