Norway
Overview
Norway’s mineral tenure system is governed by the Minerals Act (2025), which came into force on 1 July 2026. The Directorate of Mining with the Commissioner of Mines at Svalbard (DMF) administers mineral rights and operating concessions. The Act applies in Norway except Svalbard and Jan Mayen.
The Act distinguishes state-owned minerals, industrial minerals, light metals and landowner-owned minerals. Exploration and extraction rights for construction raw materials, natural stone and other landowner-owned minerals are generally agreed with the landowner. Permits issued under the Minerals Act do not replace land-use approvals, environmental permits, landowner consent or other approvals required under separate legislation.
Tenure and Approval Types
- Exploration permit – authorises exploration for state-owned minerals, industrial minerals and light metals. An application must include an exploration plan and is subject to consultation with affected authorities, landowners and rights holders.
- Trial extraction permit – authorises trial extraction undertaken to assess a deposit.
- Extraction right – grants a resource right where a deposit is commercially workable or is likely to become commercially workable within a reasonable time. An extraction right does not authorise operations to begin.
- Operating concession – generally required before planned total extraction of more than 10,000 m³. Extraction over 500 m³ and up to 10,000 m³ must normally be notified to DMF at least four weeks before operations begin.
Applications, Fees and Reporting
- Min side – apply for exploration permits, extraction rights and operating concessions, and submit plans through Altinn.
- Applications and reporting – central guidance for applications, statutory reports, notices and notifications.
- Application fees and annual payments – current processing fees and annual payments for exploration permits and extraction rights.
- Exploration and measurement reporting – annual exploration reporting, final reporting and reporting of geophysical and other ground measurements.
- Annual operating reports – annual reports for mineral extraction operations are submitted electronically through Altinn.
Maps and Data
- Mineralkompasset – mineral availability analysis combining mineral, environmental, cultural heritage, reindeer husbandry and infrastructure data.
- DMF maps and open data – maps and downloadable data for mineral rights, concessions, extraction sites and exploration reports.
