The Directorate Mineral Policy Development is responsible for developing mineral policies. It also develops norms and standards and drafts and amend mineral and related legislation. Examples are the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, Diamond Amendment Acts, Diamond Second Amendment Act, Precious Metals Act and relevant Regulations

Legislations under review

A number of legislations are currently under review:

• Minerals and Energy Legislations Amendment Bill [PDF]

The main objective of this Bill is to correct both the Mining Titles Registration Amendment Act and the Mineral and Petroleum Development Act to ensure that all mining-related rights are registered in the Mining Titles Registration office of the Department of Minerals and Energy and that all rights pertaining to land registration are dealt with by the Deeds Registration Office of the Department of Land Affairs. The Bill was passed by Parliament in June 2005.
• Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) Technical Amendments

A Cabinet memo has been finalised to amend sections of the MPRDA that mainly relate to the transitional period so that the MPRDA can be applicable to mining companies that have not yet converted.
• Diamonds Amendment Act [PDF]

To ensure equitable and regular supply of rough diamonds to local beneficiators, the Diamond Act has been being amended. It makes provision for the establishment of the State Diamond Trader who will facilitate the supply of rough diamonds equitably and a Precious Metals and Diamonds Regulator to promote equitable access to rough diamonds to licensees.
The objects of the amendments are to:
• Promote a culture of value addition of minerals by maximising the value of economic benefit of South Africa's mineral wealth;
• Recognise the fact that beneficiating our minerals locally contributes to South Africa's economy;
• Prevent and abolish restrictive and unfair practices with regard to accessibility and availability of minerals and access to markets; and
• Create an internationally competitive and efficient administrative and regulatory regime by means of national licensing system.
• Precious Metals Bill [PDF]

The Precious Metals Bill amends Chapter XVI of the Mining Rights Act, No 20 of 1967, so as to eliminate the barriers to local beneficiation of precious metals and to rationalise the regulation of matters pertaining to the downstream development of precious metals.
The objects of the Bill include:
• To allow for the acquisition and possession of precious metals for the local beneficiation;
• To regulate the precious metal industry;
• To repeal the legislations that create barriers to beneficiation; and
• To amend the over-regulation of the industry by centralising the issuing of jewellers' permits within the Department of Minerals and Energy.

Regulations
The Directorate drafts and amends various regulations promulgated under various mineral legislation. It is currently reviewing and amending the Diamond Regulations and drafting the Precious Metals Regulations.