pjbooks Chapter 103: Mining Lawyers and Geological Consultants
Chapter 103: Mining Lawyers and Geological Consultants
The next day, Jason, having received the news, brought Dolino to the city.
Arriving at the law firm again, Jason couldn't help but marvel at their power.
At the entrance, Anna greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Jason, welcome back to our firm."
Jason shook hands with Anna and laughed, "Yeah, here to give you money again."
"Mr. Jason, you're really joking," Anna smiled, leading Jason inside as she said, "Mr. Jason, I hope today won't disappoint you."
In the office, a middle-aged man sat there.
He was physically robust, with a dark complexion bearing the marks of wind and sand, short hair, and dressed in simple and neat clothes.
Anna introduced, "Mr. Jason, this is Angell, a senior mining lawyer and a registered consulting geologist."
"Hello, just call me Jason."
"Hello Mr. Jason, just call me Angel."
The two introduced themselves and got to know each other briefly.
To be honest, if Anna hadn't explained it to him on the phone yesterday, Jason really wouldn't have known about some of the procedures in Australia.
As a major gold-producing country, Australia's gold mining is a highly regulated professional activity. If the mines didn't come with valid lease agreements, Jason would have had to go through a lot of paperwork.
Angell sized up the young man with his youthful and inexperienced face, and said politely, "Mr. Jason, it is my honor to serve you as a mining lawyer and geologist."
"Are you looking to explore for minerals yourself, or would you prefer to acquire a more established mining area?"
Mineral exploration?
This word made Jason pause for a moment, then his eyes lit up.
Yes, if I have this special ability, why don't I use it to directly prospect for minerals?!
Jason leaned forward slightly and asked, "If I'm prospecting myself, what's the next step?"
The gains from probing in a mine where gold has already been discovered are far less than those from finding gold in a 'wasteland'.
However, I've never done this before, and this is taking food from the mouths of large mining companies!
Angel's smile brightened considerably as he said, "Mr. Jason, every year many people search for mineral veins all over the world, and as for Australia, there are even more."
"I am a professional regarding the relevant laws and regulations, and I can handle all subsequent issues for you."
Angel first emphasized the legitimacy of the deal and his professional competence.
After carefully crafting his words, Angell also demonstrated his professionalism.
"First, you need to select areas with gold potential to explore. You can choose these based on information from the Australian Science Bureau and the Geological Surveys of each state."
"Secondly, obtain application forms, guidelines, and mining rights maps from the Department of Mines or Department of Information in the target state."
"Then, we will use government departments to investigate the status of the mines and the nature of the land in the target area."
"Finally, submit the mining rights application and simultaneously negotiate land access agreements with local private landowners or indigenous groups."
"Of course, I will help you with any legal and technical procedures involved."
Angell explained the process slowly and deliberately. Although it was simple enough, it still made Jason frown slightly.
For Jason, who had never encountered anything like this before, the complicated procedure left him completely bewildered.
Jason interrupted Angell, asking instead, "Mr. Angell, do you have any information about private landowners selling their mining areas?"
Angel nodded and said, "Yes, there are some, in this state, but not in this city."
"Mr. Jason, you're also in the gold industry, so you should know that gold prices are currently appreciating. For many people, selling now isn't a good deal."
"Many landowners partnered with gold prospectors by dividing the land into different areas."
"This way, we can reduce investment costs and also control our income."
"As far as I know, this proportion is around 70%."
Renting mining areas was not on Jason's agenda.
As for the percentage, that's not really his concern.
He is now torn between exploring for minerals himself or buying an existing mine.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
However, it is undeniable that mineral exploration can fully utilize its unique capabilities.
It doesn't require huge drilling costs; you can simply drive around and survey the area yourself, which is a huge advantage.
However, there are also drawbacks, namely that it makes one an easy target!
Without surveying or reporting results, investing huge sums of money in mining is too conspicuous.
The rewards are enormous, but the risks are also extremely high!
After a moment's thought, Jason asked, "Mr. Angell, if we find suitable land in the area after successful exploration, what are the prices like?"
Angell chuckled, "Mr. Jason, this is Australia!"
"If it's 'wasteland' and privately owned, the price could range from tens to hundreds of Australian dollars per hectare."
"Of course, if a gold mine has already been discovered, then you'll need to negotiate with the landowner, and the price will depend on the value of the gold mine."
"The nature of the land is state-owned, and whether the landmark is used as a ranch or as an indigenous settlement varies, requiring detailed negotiation and communication."
"These are quite complex, involving a lot of specialized knowledge."
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent.
My index finger tapped on the table, incessantly.
Suddenly, Jason stopped and asked Angel, "If I choose to prospect, what fees are involved? How much will it cost?"
Angleton paused, took a deep breath, and knew that whether the young man in front of him could make up his mind depended on this.
He softened his tone and said slowly to Jason, "Mr. Jason, if you want to choose to conduct independent exploration, it will be a considerable expense."
"First, there is a fixed exploration permit application fee, which you need to pay when you submit the exploration area application."
"This part isn't too expensive, ranging from a few to a dozen Australian dollars per hectare. The rent will increase year by year until you give up the mining or exploration rights."
Second, a minimum exploration expenditure commitment.
"This part accounts for the bulk of the expenditure. Local authorities require licensees to pay a minimum amount for exploration at each stage, typically ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Australian dollars per square kilometer."
"This money is for on-site exploration; a dedicated team will conduct inspections periodically."
"Thirdly, there are the lease application fee and rent."
"If a mineable resource is discovered and a mining lease is applied for, the costs and rent for this part will increase significantly."
"besides……"
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Jason stopped Angell immediately.
He abruptly banished the idea of taking the risk of prospecting for minerals from his mind.
Are you kidding me!
There are license fees, minimum exploration fees per square kilometer, and then there are lease application fees and rent. All in all, you have to spend money from start to finish.
If that's the case, then so be it, since the greater the investment, the greater the return.
But if any link in these processes goes wrong, it means all the money will be wasted!
It wasn't that Jason looked down on himself; it was just that with his current small physique, he was no match for those large mining companies.
As a highly profitable industry, Jason would never believe that these mining giants don't have some special methods.
Therefore, before he had absolute certainty and strength, Jason decided to play it safe for a while.
Most importantly, it's tedious, extremely tedious!
rubbing his aching temples, Jason said directly, "Angol, just tell me if anyone nearby is selling a mine. As for prospecting, that's not suitable for me right now."
Angell looked slightly disappointed and sighed softly, but didn't say anything.
He took out prepared documents from his bag and placed them directly in front of Jason, saying, "Mr. Jason, these are some mining farm documents that will be sold recently. You can take a look."
The information is very detailed, including prices and analysis.
Excluding those with high prices and poor geographical locations, I only have three documents left.
What surprised Jason the most was that there was no information about the old Enx Mine!
With an offer of 400 million US dollars and the four children selling the gold mine in a fight over the inheritance, there's no reason it wouldn't attract local attention.
Clearly, the trickery was seen through.
Jason handed the three shortlisted documents to Angell and said, "These three mines it is. When can we arrange a site visit?"
Angel replied, "Anytime is fine, but considering the distance, I still suggest we leave tomorrow morning."
"Okay, I'll arrange the car, and we'll set off together."
Jason also stood up from his chair. After sitting for so long, coupled with Angel's various explanations, his brain was almost numb.
After a brief farewell, Jason arranged for Nojes to drive a pickup truck from the mine over.
He's not going back, to avoid another bumpy ride tomorrow.