Section 43: Records and plan of exploration and Exploitation.

(1) Any person that undertakes or is involved in reconnaissance or exploration or exploitation of Mineral Resources under a Mineral title or further to the authorization of the Minister in accordance with the provisions of this Act shall-
(a) keep correct plans of Exploration or Mining Operations conducted within the Mineral title Area ;
(b) keep correct records of every Mineral found and ore reserve calculated on the area of his mineral title lease ;
(c) supply to the Mining cadastre office copies of the plans and records at such time and periods and in such manners as the Mining cadastre office may demand;
(d) provide to the Nigerian Geological survey Agency for storage and archiving, a complete set of all geo scientific data acquired in the course of such activitv inclusive of maps, coring and samples; and
(e) the plans required to be kept shall be prescribed.
(2) No core obtained in the exercise of rights conferred by a Mineral title shall be destroyed or otherwise disposed of except for the purposes of assay, identification, or analysis without the permission in writing of the Minister, which permission shall be granted within 30 days of the receipt of the application.
(3) Any person who destroys or disposes of core or samples in contravention of subsection (2) of this section shall be guilty of an offence.
(4) The data required to be provided under subsection (1) of this section, shall be provided to the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency in such a manner as is sufficient for the identification of the core or sample and the location and geological horizon of its origin.
(5) The data required to be submitted under subsection (1) of this section, shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed to the general public until the earlier of-
(a) a period of 5 years after its submission ; or
(b) a part of the mineral title Area is relinquished by the mineral title holder; or
(c) when the holder of the mineral title ceases to hold the title either as a result of revocation of the title or relinquishment thereof.
(6) When disclosure of the data is required by the general public, it shall be made available in accordance with the format stated in the Regulations.
(7) Any person that undertakes or is involved in the search for or exploitation of Mineral Resources in contravention of the provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall be guilty of an offence.