Directorate of Mining Award Letter
The Directorate of Mining (DMF) administers the Norwegian Minerals Act and the parallel act for Svalbard. The DMF is mandated to ensure maximum value creation from sustainable and responsible mineral activities in Norway. This award letter sets out targets, indicators and prioritised measures for DMF for 2023.
Objectives of the DMF:
- DMF shall at all times ensure the most sustainable management of Norway's mineral resources based on holistic socio-economic assessments.
- DMF's activities shall lead to a profitable and sustainable extraction and processing of minerals.
- DMF's activities must lead to proper safeguarding of former mineral activities and, as far as possible, reduce environmental consequences on repatriated mining properties subject to Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (NFD) within the current budget framework.
- DMF shall ensure that Svalbard's geological resources are managed and utilised holistically to the greatest extent possible in line with Svalbard's political objectives and the Mining Regulations.
- DMF must at all times, and within available limits, have the best possible knowledge base about the mineral industry.
Under the 2023 Minerals Strategy, the DMF is specifically tasked with the following:
- Prioritise the processing of applications under the Minerals Act for critical raw materials;
- Establish an arrangement for national coordination of critical mineral projects;
- Prepare a guide or advisory tool for mineral activity in order to proactively identify and deal with particularly demanding or conflict-ridden issues in mineral projects.
Following a 2022 investigation by the National Audit Office into the NFD's management of pollution from closed mines, the DMF will work with the NFD to implement the first step of the comprehensive plan for clean-up after mining operations in Folldal, and to work on a revised action plan for the Løkken mines.
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