BAILII [Home] [Databases] [World Law] [Search] [Feedback]

Northern Irish Legislation

You are here:  BAILII >> Databases >> Northern Irish Legislation >> MINES ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1969

[Index] [Table] [Search] [Notes] [Noteup] [Previous] [Next] [Download] [Help]


MINES ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1969 - SECT 20

Transmission to Ministry, and preservation, of plans of abandoned or disused mines, seams and veins.

20.(1) Provision may be made by regulations

(a)for requiring that

(i)in the event of the abandonment of a mine or of the expiration of the
period of twelve months from the time at which a mine was last worked for the
purpose of getting minerals or products of minerals, the person who is the
owner of the mine at the time of the happening of that event shall, within the
prescribed period thereafter, send to the Ministry such plans of the workings
in the mine at that time (being plans complying with such requirements as are
imposed by or by virtue of subsection (2)), and such drawings supplementary to
the plans, as may be prescribed and such sections of the seams or veins worked
in the mine and of the strata overlying them (being sections complying with
such requirements as aforesaid) as may be prescribed;

(ii)in the event of the abandonment of a seam or vein in a mine or the
expiration of the period of twelve months from the time at which a seam or
vein in a mine was last worked for the purpose of getting minerals or products
of minerals, the person who is the owner of the mine at the time of the
happening of that event shall, within the prescribed period thereafter, send
to the Ministry such plans of the workings in that seam or vein at that time
(being plans complying with such requirements as are imposed by or by virtue
of subsection (2)), and such drawings supplementary to the plans, as may be
prescribed and such sections of that seam or vein and of the strata overlying
it (being sections complying with such requirements as aforesaid) as may be
prescribed;

(b)for imposing, with respect to plans, drawings and sections sent to
the Ministry in pursuance of such provisions of the regulations as have effect
by virtue of paragraph (a), such requirements (whether with respect to the
persons by whom they are to be prepared, the giving of certificates with
respect thereto or otherwise) as it may appear to the Ministry requisite or
expedient to impose for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy thereof.

(2) Plans and sections required, by virtue of provisions of regulations having
effect by virtue of subsection (1), to be sent to the Ministry shall be of
durable material and be prepared in such form and manner as may be specified
by rules made by the Ministry and on a scale not less than such as may be so
specified, and any such plans shall show the position, in relation to objects
on the surface, of the workings delineated on the plans and record such
information as may be so specified with respect to orientation, contours,
boundaries, faults, workings other than those delineated on the plans and any
such other matters (whether similar to the matters aforesaid or not) as may be
so specified.

(3) If the Ministry is satisfied

(a)that there has occurred, in the case of a mine, a contravention of
provisions of regulations having effect by virtue of sub-paragraph (i) or (ii)
of subsection (1)(a) consisting of a failure to send a plan, drawing or
section to the Ministry within the period limited by those provisions or that,
in the case of a mine, a plan, drawing or section sent to the Ministry in
pursuance of those provisions is inaccurate, incomplete, dilapidated or wholly
or partly indecipherable; and

(b)that, in the interests of safety, it is desirable for a new plan, drawing
or section to be made;

(4) Subject to the provisions of subsections (5) to (7), plans, drawings and
sections sent to the Ministry in pursuance of provisions of regulations having
effect by virtue of subsection (1)(a)(i) or (ii) or made by a surveyor
appointed under subsection (3) shall be preserved by the Ministry or by some
other person under arrangements made or approved by the Ministry.

(5) Arrangements under subsection (4) for the preservation by some person
other than the Ministry of plans, drawings and sections sent by the owner of a
mine to the Ministry as therein mentioned shall not be made otherwise than
with the agreement of the person who is the owner of the mine at the time when
the arrangements are made.

(6) No person except an inspector shall be entitled, without the consent of
the owner for the time being of the mine, or a licence of the Ministry, to see
the plans, drawings or sections whilst preserved under arrangements made or
approved as aforesaid until after the expiration of ten years from the time of
the abandonment, but such a licence shall not be granted unless the Ministry
is satisfied that the inspection of the plans, drawings or sections is
necessary in the interests of safety.

(7) Where, at the time at which the working of a mine or a seam or vein
therein is resumed, any plans, drawings or sections relating thereto are, by
virtue of subsection (4), preserved by the Ministry or by some other person
(not being the owner of the mine), the owner shall, on giving not less than
fourteen days notice to the person by whom the plans, drawings or sections are
preserved and (where that person is not the Ministry) to the Ministry, be
entitled to have delivered to him the plans, drawings or sections subject to
affording to the Ministry, if required so to do before the expiration of the
notice, a reasonable opportunity of making copies of the plans, drawings or
sections or of such part thereof as the Ministry thinks fit.

S.21 rep. by SR 1980/333

Provision of shafts and outlets in coal, &c., mines.



[Index] [Table] [Search] [Notes] [Noteup] [Previous] [Next] [Download] [Help]

© 1969 Crown Copyright

BAILII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback
URL: http://www.bailii.org/nie/legis/num_act/mai1969236/s20.html