South Australia is making it easier for mining companies to start drilling earlier, with a major reform to its mineral exploration permitting processes designed to cut administrative delay, reduce costs, and get drill rigs operational faster.
Building on the relaunch of the Plan to Accelerate Exploration (PACE Minerals) program and leveraging the state’s digital Mining and Energy Regulation System (MERS), the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) is introducing a streamlined regional framework for environmental approvals.
Under long-standing state regulations, exploration licence holders must submit an Exploration Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (EPEPR).
These plans detail how operating environments will be managed and rehabilitated, requiring formal DEM approval before ground disturbance can commence.
Under the new initiative, resource companies operating within the Northern Gawler Craton region can now utilise a standardised Regional EPEPR template through MERS.
The digital template automatically prepopulates standard regional datasets, including baseline environmental descriptions, typical operational scopes, and standard environmental management protocols, allowing exploration teams to focus on technical targets and local stakeholder engagement.
By eliminating repetitive data entry, the regional approach is set to significantly reduce preparation times and application costs for resource companies while enabling DEM regulators to assess submissions more efficiently without compromising environmental standards.
The initiative supports the government’s broader strategy to turn South Australia’s mineral potential into commercial discoveries, driving regional investment and expanding the state’s pipeline of future mining projects.
Following the initial rollout in the Northern Gawler Craton, DEM intends to progressively release tailored Regional EPEPR templates for other key mineral provinces across South Australia.
