The area for which an Operating Permit is granted is set out in the granting decree.
It is demarcated based on the Deposit(s) as defined in the feasibility study.
The area of the Operating Permit must be entirely located within the area of the Exploration Permit from which it derives. In exceptional cases, it may cover several Exploration Permits belonging to the same holder and relating to the same substance, if the Deposit includes certain areas covered by the said Permits. The perimeter of the Mining Operation Permit must be the simplest polygon possible, with sides aligned northsouth and east-west, and with no more than ten (10) vertices, unless a derogation is permitted by the MPDC.
For dredging of riverbeds, the authorised length of the watercourse may not exceed ten (10) km for industrial Permits and five (5) km for semi-industrial Permits.