New South Wales Consolidated Acts New South Wales Consolidated ActsA person must not prospect for or mine any publicly owned mineral on any land otherwise than in accordance with an authority, mineral claim or opal prospecting licence that is in force in respect of that mineral and that land.
Maximum penalty for prospecting in contravention of this section: 200 penalty units.
Maximum penalty for mining in contravention of this section:(a) 1,000 penalty units or imprisonment for 5 years, or both, in the case of an offence dealt with on indictment, or(b) 200 penalty units or imprisonment for 2 years, or both, in the case of an offence dealt with summarily.