Section 2: Interpretation

2. Interpretation In this Act— “authorised prospector” means a person authorised under section 5; “minerals”— (a) includes— (i) metalliferous minerals containing aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, bismuth, cadmium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, colombium, copper, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, potassium, sodium, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, zinc, zirconium, and all other substances of a similar nature to any of them, and all ores containing them and combinations of any of them with each other or with any other substance, other than those occurring in the form of precious minerals; (ii) combustible carbonaceous minerals including— (A) coal; (B) lignite, which includes brown coal and any coal which the President may prescribe to be lignite; (iii) other minerals, including those used for their abrasive or refractory qualities and asbestos, barytes, bauxite, china M63 – 1 [Issue 1] Minerals Act clay, crystals, fuller’s earth, graphite, laterite, marble, mica, nitrates, pipeclay, potash, pumice, quartz, slate, soda, sulphur, talc, and all other substances of a similar nature to any of them; and (iv) precious minerals, including— (A) precious stones and semi-precious stones including amber, amethyst, beryl, cat’s eye, chrysolite, garnet, and all other semi-precious stones, whether of the same kind as those enumerated or not; (B) precious metals; (b) does not include— (i) pottery, clay or rock salt; (ii) any materials, such as clay, sand, limestone, sandstone, or other stones, commonly used for the purpose of road making, building or for the manufacture of any article used in the construction of buildings where such material does not contain any valuable metal or precious stone; (iii) petroleum and associated substances as defined in the Petroleum Act; “Minister” means the Minister to whom responsibility for the subject of commerce and industry is assigned; “precious stones” means diamonds, emeralds, opals, rubies, sapphires, turquoises, and such other stones as may be prescribed to be precious stones for the purposes of this Act; “prospect” means search for minerals and includes such work as is reasonably necessary to enable the prospector to test the mineral-bearing qualities of the land. [S. 2 amended by Act 48 of 1991.]