(1) It shall be the duty of the Central Government to take all such steps as may be necessary ¹[for the conservation and systematic development of minerals in India and for the protection of environment by preventing or controlling any pollution which may be caused by prospecting or mining operations] and ²[for such purposes] the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make such rules as it thinks fit.

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(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:---

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(a) the opening of new mines and the regulation of mining operations in any area;

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(b) the regulation of the excavation or collection of minerals from any mine;

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(c) the measures to be taken by owners of mines for the purpose of beneficiation of ores, including the provision of suitable contrivances for such purpose;

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(d) the development of mineral resources in any area;

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(e) the notification of all new borings and shaft sinkings and the preservation of bore-hole records, and specimens of cores of alt new bore-holes;

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(f) the regulation of the arrangements for the storage of minerals and the stocks thereof that may be kept by any person;

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(g) the submission of samples of minerals from any mine by the owner thereof and the manner in which and the authority to which such samples shall be submitted; and the taking of samples of any minerals from any mine by the State Government or any other authority specified by it in that behalf;

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(h) the submission by owners of mines of such special or periodical returns and reports as may be specified, and the form in which and the authority to which such returns and reports shall be submitted;

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³[(i) the regulation of prospecting operations;

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(j) the employment of qualified geologists or mining engineers to supervise prospecting or mining operations;

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(k) the disposal or discharge of waste slime or tailings arising from any mining or metallurgical operations carried out in a mine;

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(l) the manner in which and the authority by which directions may be issued to the owners of any mine to do or refrain from doing certain things in the interest of conservation or systematic development of minerals or for the protection of environment by preventing or controlling pollution which may be caused by prospecting or mining operations;

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(m) the maintenance and submission of such plans, registers or records as may be specified by the Government;

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(n) the submission of records or reports by persons carrying on prospecting or mining operations regarding any research in mining or geology carried out by them;

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(o) the facilities to be afforded by persons carrying out prospecting or mining operations to persons authorised by the Central Government for the purpose of undertaking research or training in matters relating to mining or geology;

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(p) the procedure for and the manner of imposition of fines for the contravention of any of the rules framed under this section and the authority who may impose such fines; and

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(q) the authority to which, the period within which, the form and the manner in which applications for revision of any order passed by any authority under this Act and the rules made thereunder may be made, the fee to be paid and the documents which should accompany such applications.]

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(3) All rules made under this section shall be binding on the Government.

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