The Government of Tamil Nadu, on January 19, 2026, notified amendments to the Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1959 by exercising powers under section 15 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. The amendments primarily revise provisions relating to application fees, security deposits, and compliance obligations for minor mineral permissions.
The notification enhances the application fee from ₹1,500 to ₹5,000 and introduces a refundable security deposit equivalent to twice the applicable seigniorage fee for the quantity of mineral applied for. It further mandates immediate refund of the security deposit where an application is rejected or permission is granted to another applicant, thereby strengthening procedural clarity and applicant safeguards.
The amended rules also empower the District Collector to cancel permissions for excess removal or violations, recover differential seigniorage, mineral costs, damages, and restoration expenses from the security deposit, with any shortfall recoverable under the Revenue Recovery Act, 1890. Upon expiry or exhaustion of permitted quantity, refund of the security deposit is to be processed after inspection and certification of compliance by the Assistant Director of Geology and Mining.
[G.O. Ms. No. 2 / SRO A-1(c)/2026]
