Subject to the provisions of this Article, the Department may contribute, by way of grant, towards expenditure incurred by any person in searching for, or discovering and testing, minerals in Northern Ireland.

No grant shall be made under this Article towards expenditure on any operation, unless the Department is satisfied that planning permission under F1the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 for that operation has been obtained or that it is unnecessary to obtain it.

No grant shall be made under this Article towards any expenditure which exceeds 35 per cent. of that expenditure; but a grant may be made on such terms and conditions as the Department thinks fit to impose (including terms providing for repayment in whole or in part of the amount of the grant, with or without interest or an addition in lieu of interest, or for the giving of security for the performance of any of the terms or conditions).

The aggregate amount of grants made under this Article shall not exceed £1,000,000 or such greater amount as the Department, with the consent of the Department of Finance, may specify by order made subject to affirmative resolution.

The Department shall cause to be prepared and laid before the Assembly an annual report on the operation of this Article and that report may be prepared and laid before the Assembly as part of the annual statement required by section 50(1) of the Mineral Development Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 [1969 c.35] .