The four things to confirm on any licence
- Holder — the licence is in the name of the company you are dealing with, not a related or borrowed company.
- Type — it allows the activity offered. A mining licence does not always allow export; a local-trading permit does not allow international sale; a research permit does not allow production.
- Mineral — it covers the mineral being sold.
- Dates — it is current today and will still be current when the goods ship.
A copy of a licence shows what it said on the day it was copied. The authority’s record shows what is true now. Always use the record, and find the authority’s contact details yourself rather than using those on the document.
Zambia
Mining rights are recorded on the Zambia Mining Cadastre, maintained by the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development. Under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, mining is carried out under artisanal, small-scale or large-scale mining licences; processing under a mineral processing licence; and dealing under a mineral trading permit, with separate mineral import and export permits. Company records are with PACRA.
DR Congo
Mining titles are recorded by CAMI (Cadastre Minier) under the 2002 Mining Code as revised in 2018: exploitation permits (PE), small-mine exploitation permits (PEPM), research permits (PR), and artisanal exploitation zones (ZEA). Artisanal production is bought and exported through licensed buying houses (comptoirs agréés). Gold and precious-mineral exports are evaluated and certified by CEEC. Company records are with the RCCM.
Tanzania
Licences are issued by the Mining Commission and recorded on the online mining cadastre. Mining is done under Primary Mining Licences (PMLs, for small-scale Tanzanian operators), Mining Licences or Special Mining Licences; trading under dealer’s and broker’s licences. Artisanal and small-scale gold is traded through the government’s mineral markets and buying centres. Company records are with BRELA.
Kenya
Under the Mining Act 2016, mineral rights and dealer licences are applied for through the Online Mining Cadastre System and administered by the Directorate of Mines. Dealing is licensed as a Mineral Dealer’s Trading Licence (buy, sell, aggregate and export), a Mineral Dealer’s Processing Licence (process, refine and export processed minerals) or a Mineral Dealer’s Permit (local trading, generally not export). Licences are generally renewed annually. Company records are with the Business Registration Service.
Uganda
Under the Mining and Minerals Act 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development issues mining licences by scale, mineral dealer’s licences and refinery licences. Company records are with URSB.
When the record is not online
Cadastre portals do not always show every detail, and some records are only held at a regional office. In that case the check is done in person or in writing: a visit to the cadastre or mines office, a written request for confirmation, or a search by licensed local counsel. We use whichever route gives a record from the authority itself.
What to ask the seller for
- A copy of the licence, with its number, type and expiry date
- The cadastre reference or the coordinates of the licence area
- The company registration certificate and current extract
- Where the seller is not the licence holder, the agreement with the holder that allows it to sell
- Any trading, processing or export permit the deal depends on
The copies are used to look up the record, not as proof. The record is the proof.
Licences held through partners and joint ventures
Many small operations run on a licence held by a partner, a family member or a joint-venture company. That can be lawful, but the seller then needs a written agreement with the holder, and in some countries the arrangement has to be registered with the authority. We confirm both the licence and the agreement, and that the holder knows about the sale.
At a glance
| Country | Licence record | Company record | Common licence types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia | Zambia Mining Cadastre | PACRA | Artisanal, small- and large-scale mining; trading, import and export permits |
| DR Congo | CAMI | RCCM | PE, PEPM, PR, ZEA; comptoir licences |
| Tanzania | Mining Commission; mining cadastre | BRELA | PML, ML, SML; dealer and broker licences |
| Kenya | Online Mining Cadastre; Directorate of Mines | Business Registration Service | MDTL, MDPL, MDP |
| Uganda | Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development | URSB | Mining licences by scale; dealer and refinery licences |
What licence checks usually turn up
- A licence that has expired, or will expire before the planned shipment.
- A licence held by a different company from the one signing the contract.
- A mining licence offered as if it also authorised trading or export.
- A local-trading permit offered for an international sale.
- A licence for a different mineral from the one being sold.
Each of these is a fact that can be fixed or not; none needs guesswork. Our company and licence background check confirms the record and reports it plainly.