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Applying for approval of a final operating plan for mining

  • Bauen und Immobilien

If your company explores, extracts or processes mineral resources in a certain area and you want to stop your work, you must draw up a final operating plan and apply for a permit from the responsible mining authority.

  • Basic information

    You need an approved operating plan in order to be able to carry out the measures to cease operations. An operating plan is an instrument used in German mining law to monitor operations.

    If you wish to cease your mining activities in the entire operation or only part of the operation, for example because the raw material deposits have been exhausted, you must draw up a final operating plan. Once the work has been carried out and the official approval has been granted, mining supervision for the operation or part of the operation is terminated. This final operating plan must be approved by the mining authority of the federal state in which your mining project is located.

    The final operating plan describes the measures that you will carry out after the actual mining or exploration operation has ceased. In particular, you must explain how you will ensure that there will be no negative effects on people, the environment and other matters after your operations have ceased and that the surface can be used again. This means

    Your final operating plan must contain the following information, among other things:

    • Precise description of the scope (which areas are affected and which measures are to be implemented)
    • Precise description of the technical measures,
    • Duration of the measures,
    • Further information on:
      • Protection of employees and third parties even after cessation of operations
      • Impairment of mineral resources worthy of protection
      • Protection of the surface
      • Proper waste disposal
      • Reutilization of the operational area including removal of operational facilities and equipment or their alternative use
      • Measures to ensure that another operation is not jeopardized by the closure
      • Prevention of harmful effects on the public
    • If applicable, operating history

    Requirements

    Certain requirements must be met in order to obtain approval for your final or partial final operating plan:

    • You must prove that you are taking all necessary safety measures to prevent risks to the life and health of employees and third parties - even if you have stopped your work. The protection of material assets must also be guaranteed by the measures,
    • Your work must not impair other natural resources whose protection is in the public interest.
    • The surface of the ground must be protected in the interests of personal safety and public traffic.
    • The waste produced must be properly reused or disposed of.
    • You must ensure that
      • the surfaces are subsequently made usable again to the extent required by the circumstances,
      • the safety of other mining operations is not jeopardized,
      • the cessation of operations does not have any harmful consequences for the general public and
      • in the case of mining operations in the area of the continental shelf or coastal waters, the removal of operational facilities down to the seabed is ensured.
    • You may have to provide the competent authority with proof of a security deposit with an appropriate sum insured to cover the above-mentioned risks.

  • Procedure

    You can apply for approval of your final operating plan online via the "BergPass" platform or directly to your competent mining authority.

    Apply for approval online via the "BergPass" platform:

    • Call up the "BergPass" online platform and log in.
      • To apply, you will need a bundID and an identity card or residence permit with an active online ID function or
      • a company account
    • Upload the required documents as a file.

    Apply directly to the responsible mining authority for approval:

    • You must prepare your final operating plan in such a way that both the approval requirements and other concerns such as groundwater and nature conservation are comprehensively described. For complex projects, it is advisable to contact your responsible mining authority and coordinate the required application documents.
    • Submit all the necessary documents to your competent mining authority.

    Further procedural steps:

    • The competent authority will review your application and the documents submitted. If any documents are missing, the authority will contact you.
    • Although the mining authority alone decides on the approval, it usually involves the public authorities: If your final or partial final operating plan contains measures that affect the remit of other authorities or the municipalities as planning authorities, the mining authority will involve them in the approval procedure, especially as your operation will be transferred to a different legal regime after the termination of mining supervision.
    • You will receive a notification electronically and by post informing you of the decision on your application.
    • The approval may contain ancillary provisions (requirements, conditions, time limits), which you must comply with accordingly and whose implementation and compliance will be checked by the mining authority.
    • You will also receive a notification of fees. Pay the fees.

    More information

    Legal remedy:

    • Objection, which is processed by the competent mining authority
    • If necessary, subsequent appeal to the administrative court

  • Necessary Documents
    • You should clarify with your competent mining authority which documents are required in your case.

      The following documents are generally required:

      • Precise description of the scope (which areas are affected and which measures are to be implemented)
      • Precise description of the technical measures,
      • Duration of the measures,
      • Further information on:
        • Protection of employees and third parties even after cessation of operations
        • Impairment of mineral resources worthy of protection
        • Protection of the surface
        • Proper waste disposal
        • Reutilization of the operational area including removal of operational facilities and equipment or their alternative use
        • Measures to ensure that another operation is not jeopardized by the closure
        • Prevention of harmful effects on the public
      • If applicable, operating history

  • Competent Department

  • Online Services

  • Fees / Costs

    575,00 EUR bis 17.251,50 EUR Several factors are included in the calculation of the actual costs, such as the economic value, the time required, expert opinions and expenses for official business outside the office or advice to the contractor plus the costs for the involvement of other authorities.

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    You may only start your planned mining work once you have received approval of your final operating plan.

    How long does it take to process

    1 month bis 6 months The processing time varies greatly depending on the scope and complexity of the planned measures. As a guide, you can expect 1 to 6 months.

  • Legal Bases

  • More Information

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This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.

The official information in German is complete and correct. 24.02.2026

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