Question reference: S6W-06981
- Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 24 February 2022
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Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with JDH Exploration Ltd regarding licensing for mineral exploration across south west Scotland, and whether it is aware of any mineral exploration by JDH Exploration Ltd in that area.
Answer
The rights to naturally occurring gold and silver in this area are managed by Crown Estate Scotland, not by the Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government is aware that Crown Estate Scotland have issued two Mines Royal Options to JDH Exploration Ltd within Dumfries and Galloway for gold and silver exploration. Crown Estate Scotland do not manage the rights to the land or any other minerals in these areas and an option holder must obtain all other relevant permissions for its activities.
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has subsequently granted access (only) permissions for metalliferous mineral prospecting to JDH Exploration Limited for an area of ground on Scotland’s national forests and land, South West of Loch Dee in Dumfries and Galloway.
These access permissions are not for mineral extraction.
The access permissions issued by FLS allow for a limited amount of ground survey work, including soil sampling using hand tools (e.g. hand auger) and aerial surveys within a defined area of Scotland’s national forests and land.