Circular No. 37/2025/TT-BNNMT stipulates templates for reports, documents, permits, and decisions in mineral exploration activities.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on templates for reports, documents, permits, and decisions
in mineral exploration activities

Pursuant toLaw on Geology and Mineral ResourcesNovember 29, 2024;

Pursuant to Decree No.Decision No. 193/2025/NĐ-CPof July 2, 2025, providing detailed regulations and implementation measures for the Law on Geology and Mineral Resources;

Pursuant to Decree No.Decision No. 35/2025/NĐ-CP issued on February 25, 2025 by the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

At the proposal of the Director of the Vietnam Geological and Mineral Resources Administration;

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment issues this Circular to regulate templates for reports, documents, permits, and decisions in the process of handling procedures for issuing, extending, reissuing, amending, returning mineral exploration permits; transferring rights to explore minerals; revoking mineral exploration permits, and templates for reports and documents related to conducting mineral exploration work and supplementary exploration.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular applies to state management agencies for geology and minerals; agencies, organizations, and individuals involved in matters regulated under Article 1 of this Circular.

Article 2. Applicability

TEMPLATES FOR REPORTS, DOCUMENTS, PERMITS, AND DECISIONS IN THE PROCESS OF HANDLING MINERAL EXPLORATION PROCEDURES; TEMPLATES FOR REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTING MINERAL EXPLORATION WORK AND SUPPLEMENTARY EXPLORATION

Chapter II

Article 3. Templates for request documents in the mineral exploration and supplementary exploration dossier

Clause 1. The request document for issuing a mineral exploration permit shall be prepared according to Model No. 01 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 2. The request document for extending a mineral exploration permit shall be prepared according to Model No. 02 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 3. The request document for reissuing a mineral exploration permit shall be prepared according to Model No. 03 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 4. The request document for amending a mineral exploration permit shall be prepared according to Model No. 04 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 5. The request document for returning a mineral exploration permit shall be prepared according to Model No. 05 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 6. The request document for transferring the right to explore minerals shall be prepared according to Model No. 06 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 7. The request document for supplementary exploration to upgrade the main mineral resources/reserves or determine accompanying mineral reserves shall be prepared according to Model No. 07 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 8. The request document for recognizing the results of mineral exploration and supplementary exploration shall be prepared according to Model No. 08 attached as Appendix I to this Circular.

Clause 1. The map shall be prepared according to Model No. 09 attached as Appendix II to this Circular.

Clause 2. For dossiers within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the map shall be prepared based on the VN-2000 coordinate system, central meridian, and 6-degree zone; for dossiers within the jurisdiction of provincial People's Committees, the map shall be prepared based on the VN-2000 coordinate system, local meridian, and local projection zone.

2. For files within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, maps shall be prepared based on the VN-2000 coordinate system, central meridian, and 6-degree zone projection; for files within the jurisdiction of the provincial People's Committee, maps shall be prepared based on the VN-2000 coordinate system, central meridian, and local projection zone.

15. Decision recognizing the report on the results of mineral exploration and supplementary exploration for solid minerals within the recognition authority of the National Mineral Reserve Evaluation Council shall be established according to Template No. 24 of Appendix III issued together with this Circular.

Article 6. Documents announcing plans for surface survey and sampling, and mineral exploration plans

1. The document announcing the mineral exploration plan shall be prepared according to Model No. 27 of Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

2. The document announcing the plan for surface survey and sampling to prepare the proposal for mineral exploration shall be prepared according to Model No. 28 of Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

3. The document announcing the supplementary construction plan for additional exploration work volume of mineral resources (applicable in cases where additional exploration works must be supplemented according to the requirements of the competent state agency to recognize the reserves of mineral resources) shall be prepared according to Model No. 29 of Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

4. The supplementary construction plan for additional exploration work volume of mineral resources (applicable in cases where additional exploration works must be supplemented according to the requirements of the competent state agency to recognize the reserves of mineral resources) shall be prepared according to Model No. 30 of Appendix IV issued together with this Circular.

1. The periodic report on the results of mineral exploration activities shall be prepared and submitted before February 15 of the year immediately following the reporting year, with the reporting period being one year (from January 1 to December 31). For exploration permits with a duration of less than twelve months, the reporting time is at the end of the exploration permit term. The periodic report on the results of mineral exploration activities shall be prepared according to Model No. 31 of Appendix V issued together with this Circular.

2. The report on the results of exploration and the subsequent exploration plan in the application for extension, reissue, adjustment of the mineral exploration permit, and transfer of the right to explore minerals shall be prepared according to Model No. 32 of Appendix V issued together with this Circular.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 8. Effective Date

Article 1. This Circular takes effect from the date of issuance.

Article 2. From the date this Circular takes effect, the following Circulars shall cease to be effective:

a) Circular No. 17/2012/TT-BTNMT dated November 29, 2012, of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment regarding the conditions for organizations engaged in mineral exploration.

b) Circular No. 45/2016/TT-BTNMT dated December 26, 2016, of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment regarding the Exploration Plan for Mineral Resources, Mine Closure, and Sample Reports on the Results of Mineral Activities, Sample Documents in the Permit Application File for Mineral Activities, Reserve Approval File; Procedures and Formalities for Mine Closure.

c) Circular No. 51/2017/TT-BTNMT dated November 30, 2017, of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment amending and supplementing certain provisions of Circular No. 45/2016/TT-BTNMT dated December 26, 2016, regarding the Exploration Plan for Mineral Resources, Mine Closure, and Sample Reports on the Results of Mineral Activities, Sample Documents in the Permit Application File for Mineral Activities, Reserve Approval File; Procedures and Formalities for Mine Closure.

Article 9. Transitional Provisions

Article 3. Documents in the application file for issuance, extension, reissuance, adjustment, and return of mineral exploration permits, and transfer of the right to explore minerals submitted before the date this Circular takes effect shall continue to be implemented according to the forms prescribed at the time of submission of the application file.

Article 4. Documents in the application file for recognition of mineral reserves submitted before the date this Circular takes effect shall continue to be implemented according to the forms prescribed at the time of submission of the application file.

Article 10. Implementation Organization

Article 5. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, and People's Committees at all levels shall be responsible for directing the implementation of this Circular.

Article 6. Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Environment shall assist the provincial People's Committees in implementing this Circular at the local level.

Article 7. Organizations and individuals related to this matter shall be responsible for implementing this Circular./.