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Applying for the extension of a special operating plan for mining

  • Bauen und Immobilien

If your mining operation has an approved special operating plan that is about to expire and you want to extend it, you must apply for approval from the relevant mining authority.

  • Basic information

    An operating plan is an instrument used in German mining law for approval and operational monitoring. In order to establish and operate a mining operation, you as an entrepreneur need an approved operating plan. The responsible mining authority can oblige you to draw up special operating plans for special work and facilities that are not suitable for inclusion in the main operating plan due to their level of detail.

    If the permit has been issued for a limited period and you wish to extend this special operating plan, you must apply for a permit.

    The approval is issued by the mining authority of the federal state in which your exploration, extraction or processing operation is located.

    Requirements

    In order for you to obtain approval for the extension of your special operating plan, certain requirements must be met, although these may already have been examined in the procedure for approval of the main operating plan:

    • Your project must not conflict with any overriding public interests.
    • You must be able to prove that you have the officially issued authorization for the exploration or extraction of non-mining mineral resources or the rights to mining mineral resources.
    • You must be able to prove that your company and your managerial staff or representatives have the necessary reliability as well as the required expertise and physical fitness.
    • You must take all necessary safety measures to prevent risks to the life and health of employees and third parties in the company. These measures must also ensure the protection of material assets,
    • Your work must not impair other mineral resources whose protection is in the public interest.
    • The earth's surface must be protected in the interests of personal safety and public traffic.
    • The waste produced must be properly reused or disposed of.
    • You must take precautions to ensure that
      • the surfaces can subsequently be made usable again to the extent required by the circumstances,
      • the safety of other mining operations is not jeopardized,
      • the exploration or extraction of mineral resources does not result in any harmful consequences for the general public and in the case of mining operations in the area of the continental shelf or coastal waters:
        • shipping facilities and signs are not impaired and
        • shipping and shipping routes, airspace, fishing and flora and fauna are not unreasonably impaired,
        • underwater cables and pipelines as well as oceanographic or other scientific research are not impaired more than is unavoidable under the circumstances, and
        • the damaging effects on the sea are kept to a minimum.
    • You may have to provide the competent authority with proof of a security deposit with an appropriate sum insured, a bank guarantee, letter of comfort or similar, which covers the above-mentioned risks.

  • Procedure

    You can apply for approval to extend your special operating plan online via the "BergPass" platform or in writing to your local mining authority.

    Apply for an extension 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 an extension:

    • You must prepare the extension of your special 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 receive your application and check the documents submitted. If any documents are missing, the authority will contact you.
    • If your special operating plan contains measures that affect the area of responsibility of other authorities or the municipalities as planning authorities, the mining authority will include them in the approval procedure.
    • You will receive a notification electronically and by post informing you of the decision on your approval.
    • You will also receive a notification of costs. 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 can clarify which documents are required in your case together with your responsible mining authority:
      • In principle, the documents must show that all information on the basis of which the mining authority approved your operating plan also applies to the intended extension of the term.
      • If the mining authority already has all the necessary documents, you do not need to submit them again.
      • The desired duration of the extension must be specified.

  • Competent Department

  • Online Services

  • Fees / Costs

    172,50 EUR bis 1.725,00 EUR Several factors are included in the calculation of the actual costs, for example: the economic value, the time spent, 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 continue with the measures described in your special operating plan once you have received approval for the extension of your special operating plan. If the deadline for the last approval has expired, you must discontinue the measures until the extension has been approved.

    How long does it take to process

    7 days bis 4 weeks

  • Legal Bases

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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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