Mineral exploration activity in Western Australia is on the rise after the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety recorded a five-year high in the number of Programme of Work (PoW) applications.
The department’s figures for July 2020 and August 2020 showed a record 63 per cent increase on the monthly average (195) for applications and processing in the last five years.
In August 2020, the department received 317 Programme of Work applications and finalised 99 per cent of PoW decisions within the new 15-business day target.
This streamlined approval timeframe target from 30 to 15 business days was announced in February 2020 and came into effect on July 1, 2020, which was also a record month with 323 applications received.
Source: WA Government