Please blokes, if possible, just think a little more clearly.
I have clearly stated that the holder of a Prospecting Permit has access to any granted EPM in Qld.
This permit, granted individually (not a family) allows written landholder permission access to all areas except an ML (unless ML holder written permission given) This INCLUDES an EPM with conditions noted in the Act.
This permit, which can be for up to 12 months over selected locations, costs around $600. There are eligibility requirements. I repeat, it is a Prospecting Permit (pt. 4/6b/6d in MRA 1989)
A Fossickers licence does NOT grant access to any Tenement of any sort without written permission of the Tenement Holder. It then follows that the Fossicker licence does not grant access to an EPM because in the MRA Act an EPM is classified as a Tenement. (Dictionary MRA) It is not ambiguous. The comment that the holder of an EPM does not "occupy land" is just ignorant rubbish. What the hell is the EPM holder doing if he is not "occupying" land. Dished up to suit the occasion :8
Why not read and try to understand the Acts as applicable, as I have said I am not against Fossickers/Prospectors only the fact there is a law to protect the small miner.
I do think there is confusion between the names ie. Fossicking Licence.....Prospecting Permit.
I do know of one seller of Fossickers Licences who will say "with a $10000 detector, you are not a Fossicker, you are a Prospector.
Like some Mining Registra's, I have known, not very smart and not very effective in the field.
When we had EPM's in W.Qld. we had a spending budget of $9,000/block (we only held one block at a time) most of this money was spent on fuel, for our expenditure report, we allocated our own time (3 pers.) at $120/hr. each plus camp costs. Our returns over an average 3 months exploration expenditure mostly did not lead to a lease application. WE certainly did not welcome "speckers" who could easily pick up a $10,000 stone at our expense.
No, there is no personal agenda here, unlike the previous comments of GD who protested about a certain person that "He hates me...."
I would also be happy to see more inspections of work requirements on EPM's, there is too much ground held for too long, but the relinquishment that must occur helps with that plus the moratorium following.
More particularly I would like to see a better understanding of the legal requirements of prospecting. If any of you are members of APLA (WA) you would know of the work the President is doing to help educate people to understand WA mining law. And from some of the comments here I can now see why many "Easteners" are unwelcome over there