Section 18
Mineral Development.―(1) It shall be the duty of the Central Government to take all such steps as may be necessary 1 [for the conservation and systematic development of minerals in India and for the protection of environment by preventing or controlling any pollution which may be caused by prospecting or mining operations] and 2 [for such purposes] the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make such rules as it thinks fit.
18. Mineral Development.―(1) It shall be the duty of the Central Government to take all such steps as may be necessary 1 [for the conservation and systematic development of minerals in India and for the protection of environment by preventing or controlling any pollution which may be caused by prospecting or mining operations] and 2 [for such purposes] the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make such rules as it thinks fit.
(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:―
(a) the opening of new mines and the regulation of mining operations in any area;
(b) the regulation of the excavation or collection of minerals from any mine;
(c) the measures to be taken by owners of mines for the purpose of beneficiation of ores, including the provision of suitable contrivances for such purpose;
(d) the development of mineral resources in any area;
(e) the notification of all new borings and shaft sinkings and the preservation of bore-hole records, and specimens of cores of all new bore-holes;
(f) the regulation of the arrangements for the storage of minerals and the stocks thereof that may be kept by any person;
(g) the submission of samples of minerals from any mine by the owner thereof and the manner in which and the authority to which such samples shall be submitted; and the taking of samples of any minerals from any mine by the State Government or any other authority specified by it in that behalf;
(h) the submission by owners of mines of such special or periodical returns and reports as may be specified, and the form in which and the authority to which such returns and reports shall be submitted;