{"id":"F2001B00218","name":"Native Title (Approved Opal or Gem Mining Area - Lightning Ridge (Area 2), New South Wales) Determination 2000","slug":"native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30955,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2001B00218-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Native Title (Approved Opal or Gem Mining Area - Lightning Ridge (Area 2), New South Wales) Determination 2000","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nNative Title (Approved Opal or Gem Mining Area — Lightning Ridge (Area 2), New South Wales) Determination 20001\n\nI, DARYL ROBERT WILLIAMS, Attorney-General, acting under subsection 26C (2) of the Native Title Act 1993, determine that the area of land and waters in New South Wales specified in Schedule 1, and referred to as Area 2, is an approved opal or gem mining area for the purposes of section 26C of the Act.\n\nDated 16 February 2000.\n\nDARYL WILLIAMS\n\nAttorney-General\n\nSchedule 1 Area 2\n\nDo not delete : Schedule Part placeholder\n\n> Note 1 In the following description AMG means Australian Map Grid.\n\n> Note 2 The boundary of the area specified in this Schedule is depicted by the thick black line, enclosing the area identified as Area 2, on the attached copy of a map of the Lightning Ridge Opal & Gem Mining Area. (Area 1 is the subject of the Native Title (Approved Opal or Gem Mining Area — Lightning Ridge (Area 1), New South Wales) Determination 1999.) The map is maintained by the Department of Mineral Resources, Titles Branch, located in Mineral & Energy House, Level 4, 29-57 Christie Street, St. Leonards, NSW. It may be viewed at that office during business hours.\n\nArea 2, which is approximately 25 square kilometres, is contained within the boundary that begins at the New South Wales and Queensland border at AMG point 617000, 6791400 and continues progressively:\n\n-   generally southerly along the Cretaceous Ridge Line to AMG point 614000, 6784800\n-   generally northerly along the Cretaceous Ridge Line to the New South Wales and Queensland border at AMG point 611000, 6791500\n-   generally easterly along the New South Wales and Queensland border to the point of commencement.\n\n> Note\n\n> Note: 1. This Determination commences on gazettal: see Acts Interpretation Act 1901, s 48 and Native Title Act 1993, s 214.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a straightforward statutory determination made under a specific provision of the Native Title Act 1993. It performs exactly the function intended by section 26C: declaring a specific geographic area as an approved opal/gem mining area. There is no evidence of scope creep or expansion beyond the original legislative intent."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (under 500 words)","Only 1 substantive operative provision (the determination itself)","Simple conditional structure: single trigger (subsection 26C(2)) leading to single outcome","Geographic description is straightforward boundary tracing with AMG coordinates","No defined terms section (relies on external definitions in the Native Title Act 1993)","Minimal cross-referencing (only to parent Act section 26C and commencement provisions)","No exceptions, exemptions, or nested conditions"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a short legal document where the Attorney-General officially declares a specific 25 square kilometre area near Lightning Ridge in New South Wales as an 'approved opal or gem mining area' under the Native Title Act 1993.\n\n**What this means:**\n- **Lightning Ridge** is famous for black opals, and mining there has special rules under native title law\n- **Native title** refers to the recognition of Indigenous Australians' traditional rights to land and waters\n- **Section 26C** of the Native Title Act allows certain mining areas to be 'approved' in a way that affects how native title claims and negotiations work in that zone\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Opal miners working in this specific area (Area 2)\n- Any Indigenous groups with native title claims or interests in this 25km² zone near the NSW-Queensland border\n- The Department of Mineral Resources, which keeps the official map\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis determination changes the legal framework for how mining and native title interact in this specific patch of land. It essentially marks this zone as having special status for opal/gem mining purposes, which can affect future native title determinations, negotiations, and what rights exist in the area."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Determination exercises the specific statutory power under s26C to declare an approved opal/gem mining area for a defined parcel (Area 2). It does not amend or widen the Native Title Act itself; it merely applies that power to the specified coordinates and map as intended by the enabling provision (first paragraph; Schedule 1)."},"complexity_factors":["Decision-maker and legal basis concentrated in a single provision: Attorney‑General acting under Native Title Act 1993 s26C(2) (first paragraph).","Geographic specificity: boundary defined by AMG coordinates and a Cretaceous Ridge Line description (Schedule 1).","Dependence on an external map: authoritative boundary depicted on a departmental map held at the Department of Mineral Resources, Titles Branch (Schedule 1 note).","Commencement tied to gazettal and Acts Interpretation/Native Title Act commencement rules (notes referencing Acts Interpretation Act 1901 s48 and Native Title Act 1993 s214).","Interaction with broader native title regime: the instrument operates 'for the purposes of section 26C', creating legal effects only within that statutory framework."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument, made by the Attorney‑General under subsection 26C(2) of the Native Title Act 1993, declares a roughly 25 km² area at Lightning Ridge (Area 2) an \"approved opal or gem mining area\" for the purposes of section 26C. It fixes the area's boundary by AMG coordinates and a map held by the Department of Mineral Resources and takes effect on gazettal. The declaration changes the legal status of that land and waters, affecting mining activity and how native title processes under s26C apply."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2","history":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2/history","analysis":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/native-title-approved-opal-or-gem-mining-area-lightning-ridge-area-2-new-south-wales-determination-2/documents"}}