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Applying to supplement or amend a framework operating plan for mining without an environmental impact assessment (EIA)

  • Unternehmensstart und Gewerbezulassung

If you wish to supplement or amend an existing framework operating plan without an EIA obligation, you must apply for approval.

  • Basic information

    If you wish to supplement or amend a framework operating plan, you must submit a written application to the responsible mining authority before starting your work.

    To supplement or amend a framework operating plan, you must specify which parts of the framework operating plan are to be amended and/or which additional measures and activities you wish to carry out as part of this framework operating plan. The information you have to provide depends on the scope of the planned amendment and/or supplement.

    Depending on which aspects of your framework operating plan are to be changed, you may have to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and/or a planning approval procedure for the approval of these changes or additions.

    You can coordinate the scope and content with your competent authority.

    Requirements

    Certain requirements must be met in order to obtain approval for your amendment or supplement to the framework operating plan:

    • Your project must not conflict with any overriding public interests
    • You must prove that you have the necessary authorization for the exploration or extraction of these mineral resources.
    • You must take all necessary safety measures to prevent risks to life and health and to protect property, employees and third parties in the company.
    • Your work must not impair other mineral resources whose protection is in the public interest.
    • 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 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:
        • shipping facilities and signs are not impaired and
        • shipping and shipping lanes, 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.

  • Procedure

    You can apply for approval for your amended or modified general operating plan online via the "BergPass" platform or in writing to your competent mining authority.

    Apply for approval online via the "BergPass" platform:

    • Call up the "BergPass" online platform and log in.
      • To register, you need a "My company account" or a BundID.
    • Call up the application and fill it out completely and truthfully.
    • Upload the required documents as a file and send the application.

    Apply for approval in writing to the responsible mining authority:

    • You must prepare your supplemented or amended framework operating plan in such a way that both the approval requirements and other concerns affected by the amendment or supplement, such as groundwater and nature conservation, are described. In the case of complex projects, it is advisable to contact your responsible mining authority and coordinate the necessary application documents. The mining authority is obliged to advise you or provide information on the procedural requirements and the respective procedure.
    • Submit all the necessary documents to your competent mining authority.

    Further procedural steps:

    • If documents are missing, the competent authority will contact you.
    • You will receive a notification informing you of the decision on your application.
    • You will also receive a notification of costs. Pay the fees.

  • Necessary Documents
    • You should clarify with your competent mining authority which documents are required in your case. In principle, you must provide the following information, among other things, in the optional framework operating plan if it is amended or supplemented:
      • Identification of the mineral resource or resources that you intend to prospect for, extract or process
      • the company or consortium and associated authorized representatives
      • Proof of existing extraction authorizations (mining permit in the case of non-mining mineral resources or land ownership or lease in the case of natural resources)
      • Possible old contracts
      • Description of the planned technical implementation
      • Expected time frame
      • the planned spatial extent
      • Possible effects on the environment
      • Information on nature conservation and species protection

  • Competent Department

  • Online Services

  • Fees / Costs

    172,50 EUR bis 1.725,00 EUR

  • Deadlines & processing time

    What deadlines must be paid attention to?

    10 years bis 50 years Period of validity:
    The extension depends on the operational requirements. The validity of an extension is generally 30 years.
    The application must be submitted in good time before the planned realization.

    How long does it take to process

    1 month bis 3 months

  • 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. 19.05.2026

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