Guides to mining property
How a mining concession works in Chile, in plain language and with the article behind each rule.
Chile's mining patent: how much, when, and what happens if unpaid
Every mining concession pays an annual patent, in advance, in March. The amount depends on the kind of concession and on the holder. If it goes unpaid, the concession enters the auction list.
Read the guidePedimento and manifestación: how a mining concession is requested in Chile
A pedimento starts an exploration concession and a manifestación an exploitation one. Both are filed at the competent court, in a non-contentious procedure that ends with a court decision.
Read the guideThe survey (mensura) of a mining concession: deadlines, opposition and judgment
After the manifestación the holder has a 30-day window to request the survey, from day 91 to day 120 after filing. Then come opposition, the field survey, SERNAGEOMIN's report and the judgment.
Read the guideLegal deadlines of a mining concession and when it lapses
An exploitation concession is indefinite while the patent is paid. An exploration concession lasts four years, with one extension of up to four. Several procedural and nullity deadlines run alongside.
Read the guideOverlapping mining concessions in Chile: priority, opposition and nullity
It is decided on two levels: priority by the date of the request, which obliges a holder to oppose in time, and nullity of the later concession, time-barred four years after the extract is published.
Read the guideAuction of mining concessions for unpaid patents in Chile
The Treasury sends the list of unpaid patents to the court before 1 July, and the judge sets the auction. The minimum is the debt. With no bidders, the judge declares the ground free and the concession lapses.
Read the guideThe rol nacional of a mining concession: what it is and what it does not prove
The rol nacional identifies a concession in SERNAGEOMIN's cadastre. It helps locate it and follow it across sources, but it does not prove the concession legally exists or is in force.
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These guides are general information and not legal advice. Before deciding, check the text in force and your case file, or consult a lawyer.