Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Act 1980
19AProhibition against mining in the Territory
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19A Prohibition against mining in the Territory
(1) A person must not engage in a mining activity: (a) in the Territory; or (b) on any part of: (i) the continental shelf of the Territory; or (ii) the continental shelf of any of the islands known as Heard Island and McDonald Islands; that is within the Antarctic.
Penalty: Imprisonment for 16 years or 1,000 penalty units, or both.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a mining activity if the activity is the gathering or collecting of a meteorite, or the removal of a rock or meteorite, in accordance with a permit.
Note: The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in subsection (2). See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code.