law: 3. Definitions.
  In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
  4[(a) "leased area" means the area specified in the mining lease within which mining operations can be undertaken and includes the non-mineralised area required and approved for the activities falling under the definition of mine as referred to in clause (i);
  (aa) "minerals" includes all minerals except mineral oils;]
  (b) "mineral oils" includes natural gas and petroleum;
  (c) "mining lease" means a lease granted for the purpose of undertaking mining operations, and includes a sub-lease granted for such purpose;
  (d) "mining operations" means any operations undertaken for the purpose of winning any mineral;
  (e) "minor minerals" means building stones, gravel, ordinary clay, ordinary sand other than sand used for prescribed purposes, and any other mineral which the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare to be a minor mineral;
  5[(ea) "notified minerals" means any mineral specified in the Fourth Schedule;]
  (f)"prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
  (g) "prospecting licence" means a licence granted for the purpose of undertaking prospecting operations;
  4[(ga) "prospecting licence-cum-mining lease" means a two stage concession granted for the purpose of undertaking prospecting operations followed by mining operations;]
  (h) "prospecting operations" means any operations undertaken for the purpose of exploring, locating or proving mineral deposit ; 6***
  1. Subs. by Act 38 of 1999, s. 2, for "regulation of mines and the development of minerals" (w.e.f. 18-12-1999).
  2. Subs. by s. 3, ibid., for "(Regulation and Development)" (w.e.f. 18-12-1999).
  3. 1st June, 1958, vide notification No. G.S.R. 432, dated 29th May, 1958, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part
  II, sec. 3(i).
  4. Subs. by Act 25 of 2016, s. 2, for clause (a) (w.e.f. 6-5-2016).
  5. Ins. by Act 10 of 2015, s. 2 (w.e.f. 12-1-2015).
  6. The word "and" omitted by Act 38 of 1999, s. 4 (w.e.f. 18-12-1999).
  1[(ha) "reconnaissance operations" means any operations undertaken for preliminary prospecting of a mineral through regional, aerial, geophysical or geochemical surveys and geological mapping, but does not include pitting, trenching, drilling (except drilling of boreholes on a grid specified from time to time by the Central Government) or sub-surface excavation;
  (hb) "reconnaissance permit" means a permit granted for the purpose of undertaking reconnaissance operations; 2***]
  3[(hc) "Special Court" means a Court of Session designated as Special Court under sub-section(1) of section 30B; and]
  (i) the expressions, "mine" and "owner", have the meaning assigned to them in the Mines Act, 1952 (35 of 1952).