1384.6 - Statistics - Tasmania, 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/09/2002   
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Contents >> Mining >> Exploration >> Strategic Prospectivity Zones

Strategic Prospectivity Zones (SPZ) are recognised regions of high prospectivity for mineral discovery.

SPZs were established under 1993 legislation enacted to provide resource security for the minerals industry. Under this legislation, the status of significant parcels of Crown land within SPZs cannot be changed to a tenure excluding mineral exploration and mining without the approval of both Houses of State Parliament. The approval of the Director of Mines is needed for small parcels of land (less than 500 hectares). If the status of land is changed so that a mineral tenement is voided or diminished in size, the holder may be compensated.

The following map shows Tasmania's SPZs.

Map of Tasmania's Strategic Prospectivity Zones.
Source: Mineral Resources Tasmania, Annual Review 2000-01

Strategic Prospectivity Zones (SPZ) cover 25,200 km2, or 37%, of Tasmania. The areas in each SPZ occupied by mining tenements at the end of June 2001 are shown below.

STRATEGIC PROSPECTIVITY ZONES, Tasmania - 30 JUNE 2001
Metallic
Non-metallic
Area
Occupied
Area
Occupied

SPZ
km2
%
km2
%
Adamsfield
68.4
92.8
-
-
Arthur
146.5
13.2
1.6
0.1
Balfour
1,064.3
27.2
3.4
0.1
Beaconsfield
19.0
99.9
4.0
21.0
Cape Sorell
676.1
48.9
-
-
Mount Read
1,085.1
15.1
-
-
North East(a)
678.6
7.0
219.0
2.2
Zeehan/Waratah
292.5
16.0
-
-
- nil or rounded to zero
(a) Figures exclude a special exploration licence that covers 4,337.43 km2 (44.8%) of the SPZ.

Source: Mineral Resources, Tasmania, Annual Review 2000-2001.



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