•MINERAL CONSERVATION& DEVELOPMENT RULES, 1988CHAPTER IPreliminary1. Short title and commencement:(1) These rules may be calledthe Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988.(2) They shall come intoforce from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.2. Application:These rules shall apply toall minerals except:(i) petroleum and naturalgas;(ii) coal, lignite and sandfor stowing;(iii) any mineral declared asprescribed substances for the purpose of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of1962); and(iv) minor minerals.3. Definitions:In these rules, unless thecontext otherwise requires:(a) “abandonment of mine” means final closure of a mine either whole or partthereof when the mineral deposits within mine or part thereof, have been fullyextracted or when the mining operations have become uneconomic;(aa) "Act"means the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of1957);(b) "agent",when used in relation to a mine, means any person whethe...