(paragraph seven of clause 2 as amended by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 19, 2024 No. UP-67 - National Database of Legislation, April 27, 2024, No. 06/24/67/0307)

See previous edition.

(paragraph eight of clause 2 was excluded by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 19, 2024 No. UP-67 - National Database of Legislation, April 27, 2024, No. 06/24/67/0307)

the starting price for putting up for auction the right to use subsoil plots for carrying out activities on artisanal mining of precious metals for each hectare is set at 35 times the basic calculation value established in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In this case, the starting price of an incomplete hectare is determined by multiplying the price set for 1 hectare by the size of the land plot;

the list of subsoil areas where the implementation of activities for the artisanal extraction of precious metals is permitted is approved annually by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Geology and Mineral Resources;

the transfer (assignment) of a permit or the right to use a subsoil plot (in whole or in part) to third parties, as well as the issuance of a permit for the right to use one subsoil plot to several persons, is not permitted;

the maintenance of the register of persons engaged in artisanal mining of precious metals, as well as state control over the subsoil areas allocated to them, is ensured by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources;

the sale of precious metals extracted through artisanal mining is carried out at a contract price to legal entities that have licenses for the right to carry out refining activities, including the joint-stock companies Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plant and Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Plant, as well as legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who have the right to produce jewelry and other products made of precious metals and precious stones;

concealment of extracted precious metal, including its failure to sell within 6 months, as well as violation of requirements for the safe conduct of work during artisanal mining of precious metals, resulting in serious bodily harm or death of people, are grounds for the cancellation of the permit and a ban on engaging in this activity for one year;

After the termination of the right to use subsoil areas provided for the implementation of activities for the artisanal extraction of precious metals, subsoil users are obliged to reclaim the subsoil areas and bring them to a condition suitable for further use.

Establish that the requirements provided for in paragraphs four, five and six of this clause shall apply to permits for the right to carry out activities in the artisanal mining of precious metals issued starting from May 1, 2021.

(clause 2 as amended by the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 21, 2021 No. PP-5083 - National Legislation Database, 04/22/2021, No. 07/21/5083/0371)

See previous edition.

3. Determine that the funds from the sale of the right to use subsoil areas for the implementation of activities for the artisanal extraction of precious metals on the electronic trading platform "E-AUKSION" and the amount of the retained deposit, minus the amounts of payment for the services of organizing the auction, are credited in equal shares to special treasury accounts:

(paragraph three of clause 3 as amended by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 19, 2024 No. UP-67 - National Database of Legislation, April 27, 2024, No. 06/24/67/0307)

the relevant local budgets of the districts (cities) in whose territories the activities of artisanal mining of precious metals are carried out, as their additional sources;

The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources with the targeted direction of implementing annual state programs for the development and reproduction of the mineral resource base in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

See previous edition.

(paragraph 4 shall cease to be effective from July 1, 2022 by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated April 8, 2022 No. UP-101 - National Legislation Database, 04/09/2022, No. 06/22/101/0288)

5. The Cabinet of Ministers shall, within one month, submit to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan a draft law on amendments and additions to the legislation on subsoil resources, providing for the procedure for regulating activities in the artisanal mining of precious metals.

6. The State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources, together with the State Institution “Sanoatgeokontekhnazorat”, the State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Finance, the State Tax Committee and other interested departments shall submit for approval to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan by February 1, 2019:

a) Regulations on the procedure for carrying out activities in the artisanal mining of precious metals (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations), which provide, among other things:

the procedure for issuing licenses for the right to use subsoil areas, including the regulations for holding an electronic auction on the electronic trading platform "E-IJRO AUKSION";

conditions for the use of subsoil areas, including permitted methods and means of artisanal mining of precious metals, as well as requirements for the equipment and technology used;

the procedure for pricing, acquisition, accounting, storage and sale of precious metals obtained through artisanal mining;

requirements for compliance with the rules and regulations for conducting work, as well as the responsibility of subsoil users for violation of the law;

a mechanism for the reclamation of depleted lands and their return to the reserve fund of local government bodies;

b) A list of subsoil areas provided for artisanal mining of precious metals (hereinafter referred to as the List), indicating their reliable, precise contours and boundaries.

7. Recommend that JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plant and State Enterprise Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Plant open specialized cash desks in the regions of the country by March 1, 2019 and establish a transparent mechanism for purchasing precious metals mined through artisanal mining.

8. State authorities and administration bodies shall provide comprehensive assistance to persons engaged in artisanal mining of precious metals, including by providing methodological, practical and legal advice.

9. The Prosecutor General’s Office, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Geology and Mineral Resources, and the khokimiyats of the relevant regions, shall, within three months, approve joint measures to prevent instances of unauthorized mining of precious metals.