Mining License Research Articles

Legal Review of Procedures for Granting Rock Mining Business Permits

This research is motivated by the granting of mining permits originally granted by the Central Government, with the issuance of Presidential Decree Number 55 of 2022 concerning the Delegation of Granting of Business Licensing in the Mineral and Coal Mining Sector, some mining permits are granted by the Central Government to the Provincial Government, but only limited to the granting of Mining Business Permits (IUP) for non-metallic mineral groups, certain types of non-metallic minerals, and rocks. The legal research method used in this research is normative juridical research which is research that is carried out or aimed only at written regulations with a descriptive analytical research nature which is a method that functions to describe or provide an overview of the object being studied. The data source used is secondary data with quantitative data analysis. The results of this study are: The Procedure for Rock Mining Business Permits is carried out by means of an application to the regent or mayor if the mining area is in a district or city, to the governor if the mining area is across district or city borders, to the minister if the mining area is in a cross-provincial border area. The procedures carried out in the procedures for rock mining permits are the determination of the mining area carried out by authorized officials, determination of mining business areas, mining business permits, regulation of mining permits if there is a violation of mining permits. Supervision of Rock Mining Activities After Obtaining a Business Permit in the Mining Sector, it is carried out by the ESDM Service where the mining permit is located. Settlement of Rock Mining Permit Disputes can be carried out through a non-adjudication process.

Tinjauan Hukum Pidana Islam Terhadap Penambangan Pasir Ilegal Untuk Bahan Pembangunan Proyek Di Pasaman Barat

The sand mining activities taking place in West Pasaman, specifically in the Paku River area, Kinali Nagari, Kinali District, are unauthorized or illegal mining activities carried out by several parties. The consequences of this mining have led to environmental damage, prompting local residents to report the matter to the West Pasaman District Police for legal action. This study aims to examine Islamic criminal law related to illegal sand mining used for construction projects in West Pasaman. The method used in this research is empirical juridical research using primary and secondary data. Factors that contribute to illegal sand mining in the Paku River area, Kinali Nagari, Kinali District, West Pasaman Regency include economic needs, demand for building materials, lack of supervision and legal socialization on mining, and the difficulty of obtaining people's mining licenses (IPR) or special mining business permits (IUPK). The results of the study show that illegal mining is regulated under Law No. 3 of 2020, specifically in Articles 158 to 164. Unauthorized sand mining is regulated in Articles 158 to 164 of Law No. 4 of 2009. From the perspective of Islamic criminal law, illegal sand mining that causes environmental damage is considered a prohibited act (jarimah), as explained in Surah Al-Baqarah 205, which emphasizes that humans have a responsibility to manage and utilize natural resources wisely to achieve prosperity and to protect the environment in all contexts.

Application of remote sensing methods to assess the environmental situation in the upper Lena River basin

This article addresses the problem of pollution in the Lena River caused by gold mining enterprises operating in its upper regions. It highlights the ongoing industrial exploitation of ore and placer gold deposits in five regions within the Siberian and Far Eastern federal districts. The most large-scale development is carried out in the Irkutsk region, Buryatia, and Yakutia. Further intensification of gold mining activities will result in significant negative impacts on the ecosystems of the upper reaches of the Lena River basin. In this context, the potential applications of Sentinel-2 satellite data for assessing the ecological conditions of river systems in Yakutia are being explored. The most common water indices, NDTI, AMWI, and Harma, were used in this study. The indices were applied to analyze the area of the Vitim River mouth, which contains the highest concentration of active gold mining license areas in the basin. Test sites were allocated on the Vitim and Lena rivers, as well as on Lake Okhninskoye for control purposes. Water indices were analyzed using the ArcGIS software package, and statistical data processing was conducted in the MS Excel program. It is revealed that the best results for estimating surface water turbidity in the area of the Vitim River mouth are obtained using the AMWI index. Spatial regularities are demonstrated, and the seasonal dynamics of turbidity in the studied water bodies are analyzed. The proposed methodology using the AMWI index can be applied for operational assessment of the state of water bodies in Yakutia under conditions of active anthropogenic pollution. This can facilitate timely implementation of preventive environmental protection measures.

Mining Law in Cameroon: A Blueprint for Investors in the Sector

Cameroon is currently at an important crossroads as far as the development of the mining sector is concerned. In recent times, the mining sector has undergone series of legislative reforms with the aim to spur the interest of investors in this sector of the economy. These legislative reforms have also been in line with the country’s vision to become emergent by 2035, with the mining sector been one of those sectors to spur the realization of this vision. This paper therefore aims at examining the extent to which the Cameroonian mining law has become a tool to attract investors in this sector of the economy which in the past decades has witnessed a downturn of investors. The paper makes use of the qualitative research methods. Despite significant strides that the Cameroonian government has made to make to lure the interest of investors, inadequacies of the mining law, lack of transparency and accountability, discrimination in terms of obtaining certain mining licences and political instability are the major setbacks that has hindered the continuous growth of the sector. It is in this light that the research recommends both nationals and non-nationals should be involved in artisanal mining, tax and customs incentives should not only be limited to holders of semi mechanized and industrial mining permits or licences, transparency and accountability should be strengthened through continuous publication of mining data and declaration of revenue obtained from this sector, and rehabilitation of the mining sites should be effectively supervised by the concerned body.

Penegakan Hukum terhadap Kasus Pelanggaran Izin Usaha Pertambangan (IUP) pada Pertambangan Nikel

Mining is an activity that is very complex or very complicated in its implementation because not everyone can do it because it also deals with nature. If you don't pay attention to the natural ecosystem, it will damage nature, therefore mining such as mineral mining which is non-renewable energy or cannot be renewed. Permits must be prepared before carrying out mining analysis and production. The aim of the research is to analyze the regulation and law enforcement in cases of violations of mining business permits in nickel mining. The research method used in this research is descriptive-analytic with a juridical-normative type of research. The results of regulatory research are in Article 158 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning amendments to Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining that: "Every person who carries out a mining business without a Mining Business Permit (IUP), People's Mining Permit ( IPR) or Special Mining Business Permit (IUPK) as intended in Article 37, Article 40 paragraph (3), Article 48, Article 67 paragraph (1), Article 74 paragraph (1) or paragraph (5) shall be punished with a maximum imprisonment 10 (ten) years and a maximum fine of IDR 10,000,000,000.00 (ten billion rupiah).” Law enforcement, namely in court decision decision no. 296/ Pid.Sus/ 2021/ PN Kdi, PT Kreasi Lippo In its decision, namely, sentencing the defendant to prison for 7 (seven) months and a fine of Rp. 1,000,000,000,- (One Billion Rupiah) with the provision that if the fine is not paid it will be replaced by imprisonment for 2 (two) months. The conclusion is that at the time of its realization law enforcement against illegal miners was still relatively light

Penegakan Hukum dalam Penanggulangan Pertambangan Batubara Illegal

Coal mining is one sector that supports state and regional economies if management is environmentally friendly. Management of coal mining as a non-renewable natural resource must be carried out as optimally as possible, efficiently, transparently, sustainably and with environmental awareness. The aim of the research is to find out and analyze the regulation and law enforcement against illegal mining in Indonesia. The research method used by the author in researching the problem in writing this article is normative juridical research. The results of the research are the regulation of Article 158 of Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining where if someone does not have an IUP, IPR, IUPK then they will be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years and a maximum fine of IDR 10,000,000,000.00 (ten billion) Enforcement The law in illegal mining cases is the decision of the Panel of Judges to sentence the Defendant to imprisonment for 8 (eight) months and a fine of IDR. 2,000,000.00 (two million Rupiah). The conclusion is that the mining issue cannot be separated from the agrarian issue, because Mining activities are underground and to carry out these activities, you must first obtain permission from the authorized official. Therefore, when carrying out mining activities, you must have a permit as regulated in the Coal Mining Licensing Regulations, Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral Mining. and Coal which discusses the form of regulatory licensing and licensing requirements.

Legal Certainty-Based Implementation of Exploration and Exploitation Authorization Permits in Iron Sand Mines

Iron sand mining in the Dedalpak Block began in 2009 where the authority to grant mining permits ranging from mining business permits (IUP) exploration to mining business permits (IUP) for production operations was issued by the Regent of East Lombok by adhering to article 37 of Law Number 4 of 2009. However, with the enactment of Law Number 32 of 2014 Challenging Regional Governments, the authority of the iron sand mining permit was taken by the NTB Provincial Government, then with the presence of Law Number 3 of 2020 the authority for iron sand mining business licenses by PT. AMG was taken over by the Centre. In its implementation, iron sand mining by PT. AMG with the enactment of Law Number 3 of 2020 has a significant impact on the mining licensing process for iron sand production in the Dedalpak block of East Lombok, where the central government through the Director General of Energy and Mineral Resources requires thirteen conditions so that the IUP for production operations can be obtained by PT. AMG. The company, however, has not been able to meet five requirements, so its license was suspended. Another impact, the community in the Dedalpak block circle resisted by going to race through a series of protests for the mining to be closed, because it caused a large environmental impact.

Social change and community perceptions on change environment due to sand mining

Sand mining in Keningar village, which has been started since 1996, is still carried out by the community to date, even though the damage is already exist and severe. The community start to dredge the crop land to take the sand, then sell it. Sand mining activities are not only carried out by the residents of Keningar village, but also by another parties from outside the region. The change of land use from crop land into sand mining areas has many impact on various aspects of community life, both on social, economic and cultural aspects. The purposes of this study are to know the perspective of the community of Keningar village on sand mining activities that has been carried out to date, their effect for the environment, and social life patterns of the community of Keningar village. This study use qualitative method by describe all the information. The information was obtained from observations and unstructured interviews with several informants found at the site. The results of the study show that there is a social change in the community of Keningar village, caused by a paradigm shift from farmers to sand miners. The driving force for this phenomenon is economic factor, the demand for everyone needs are high. This paradigm shift has many effects not only on socioeconomic, but also for the environment. Massive exploitation of sand, gravel, and rocks cause the lost of fertile layers of soil and reduce groundwater reserves on community’s crop land. The sand mining can be controlled since the government applied mining license instrument. However, there is still illegal mining carried out between the landowners and mining entrepreneurs by simple agreement. In reality, the indigenous character of the community of Keningar village is farmers and charatcter of “nrimo ing pandum” which actually can be developed to an advance economy without damaging the environment, through the intervention of the government, academics, or other stakeholdes. And one of them can be solved through education.

Concept for long-term geo-monitoring of the post-mining environment using the example of the Prosper-Haniel mine

The operation of a mining facility provides a wealth of data, starting from mining licenses, documentation of extracted deposits, tunnel reinforcement methods, to documentation regarding the termination of mining operations, which impacts the natural environment at the local, regional, and supra-regional levels. The results of projects conducted by the Research Center of Post-Mining at the Technical University of Georg Agricola in Bochum present the possibilities of integrating environmental geo-monitoring methods to understand the processes occurring both during and after mining operations. Among the research methods used, spatiotemporal multispectral analyses of satellite imagery and images from drone flights stand out, and these will be presented in this paper. Additionally, in-situ measurements using soil sensors, weather stations, the application of mobile GIS, and three-dimensional modelling of geological structures should be noted. A key aspect of mining process research is the implementation and integration of all available geospatial data, allowing the consideration of post-mining processes as a cycle of interconnected, independent values that, through data analysis and validation, enable a comprehensive understanding.

Identification of Gold Mining Vessels based on Classification Algorithms using Sentinel-2 Images

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining can occur on land or in riverbeds. However, the activity needs to be supported by a Mining Permit, issued by the Agência Nacional de Mineração, and the appropriate environmental license from the competent environmental agency. The use of images from Sentinel-2 satellites presents itself as a potential tool for identifying gold mining vessels due to the temporal resolution, free imagery, global coverage, and more refined spatial resolution. So, this study aimed to identify gold mining vessels on the Madeira River near Porto Velho city, Rondônia state, located at Brazilian Amazon, in 13 Sentinel-2 images from 2018 to 2021 using the classifiers: Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) Random Forest (RF) and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM). The results showed that machine learning classifiers obtained the best performance, especially the object-oriented SVM classifier, which had the best average F1 score (0.91). In addition, the detection percentage of gold mining vessels originated by this classifier was satisfactory, with only 0 to 4 active gold mining vessels with sediment plumes being omitted per image. Therefore, based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the use of machine learning classifiers proved to be effective in identifying gold mining vessels.

Legal policy preference for coal mining over other land use alternatives jeopardizes sustainability in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Overlapping claims on land use between coal mining and other land-based activities have led to legal uncertainties, with negative social, economic, and environmental impacts. This study examines overlapping claims on land use arising from inconsistencies with the regulation of Indonesia’s land and resource licensing system and the consequent legal, social, and environmental impacts. This study investigates the overarching issues with the implementation of policies and regulations concerning coal mining licensing in Indonesia. Results indicate that the prevailing legal framework in Indonesia favors coal mining activities over other land uses (including smallholder production of food). The coal mining industry is given preferential treatment regarding land use and licensing compared to other land-based users, resulting in significant social and environmental injustice. Other land-based activities outside the mining sector experience greater legal uncertainty in obtaining equal access to land. This creates difficulty in maintaining continuity in their operations.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE: IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SMALL SCALE TIN MINING UNDER INDONESIA’S NEW MINERAL AND COAL REGULATION

The transformation of mining law policy in Law No. 3 of 2020 concerning Minerals and Coal has broad implications for mining law, including illegal tin mining. The high dependence of the tin extractive economy in Bangka Belitung has changed the landscape of this archipelago province as an area with a high level of natural damage and social disasters. The ability of governments through regulatory instruments to tackle illegal mining is an important ideal goal. This research was conducted using socio-legal methods, to produce a comprehensive analysis related to the environmental and social impacts of illegal tin mining after the renewal of the mineral and coal law. This study found that the transition of mining authority from the central government to the regional government directly has an impact on the proliferation of illegal mining activities. Substantive changes in the mineral and coal law have not provided a strategic solution because the tug-of-war over authority ends with the continued delegation of authority to grant community mining permits to local governments. Meanwhile, the unpreparedness of local governments has resulted in the continued marginalization of mining communities and has an impact on widespread environmental damage. The lack of fair decision-making processes for people mining licences is indicative of an immature tin mining management in Bangka Belitung. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the implications of the latest mineral and coal policies on illegal tin mining activities, as a reference and consideration in strategic policy making to create an ideal and sustainable tin mining ecosystem.

PROBLEMATICS OF CHANGES IN MINING AND BANK PROVISIONS IN MINING LICENSING AUTHORITY

Problems with changing the policy of the Coal Mineral Law, regarding changes to permits, have resulted in some disharmony between the regional government and the central government. This writing was carried out with a focus on writing regarding mining licensing authority with reference to the Minerba Law with Law Number 3 of 2020. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the disharmony of minerba mining licensing policies by the central government towards regional governments. The method used in this research is normative juridical. In conducting research, the author obtains information by digging, finding out and finding a legal principle, rule of law, and legal doctrine which will be used in the future to answer several existing legal issues. The problem with changing policies regarding mining permits is because there are several substantive articles in the law which have logical consequences for the regional autonomy management sector. The takeover of mining licensing affairs by the central government "Centralization" has consequences, namely the reduced function of the state's right to control over the mineral and coal mining sector in regional governments, both provincial and district/city. The centralization carried out by the government is a way of simplifying mining business licensing, so that in this case the central government aims to make policies regarding management and licensing easier

Analysis Of Physical And Chemical Impact On The Krueng Montala River, Aceh Besar Regency: Sand And Stone Mining Activity Effect

Rivers are important for human survival providing raw water for the community's clean water needs. Rivers also provide sand, gravel, and rocks commonly used for construction. However, improper exploitation of the river without considering environmental sustainability may cause future damage to it. The damage is usually caused by mining activities violating environmental regulations. The main point of this study is to evaluate the changes in the riverbank and riverbed of Krueng Montala river, Aceh, Indonesia, due to the mining activity around that place. The method used to analyze the changes was measuring the river's topographical contours at the end of mining activities and comparing the results with the initial licensing data based on the Mining License Number 540/DPMPTSP/414/IUP-OP/2020. The measured data was also compared to the Technical Recommendation Number SA.02.03/BWS1/1542 from the River Basin Office of Sumatera 1. Based on the technical recommendation, the sufficient excavation volume is 10,201.44 m3. The field data for lost and excavated materials at the research location was 40,861.4 m3, and the total riverbank material loss at the study location was 7,566.33 m3.

Cooperativism as a solution or as an obligation? The formation of cooperatives in small-scale mining in Brazil

The Brazilian state, through the 1988 Federal Constitution, the 1999 Mining Permit Law, and the 2008. Garimpeiro Statute, endorsed the cooperative organizational model as a priority for organizing mineral activity in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in the country. Brazil's policymakers understood that the cooperative model could more efficiently reduce the sector's informality and promote cooperation. Against this backdrop, this paper seeks to problematize whether the formalization of cooperatives alone can solve many of the governance problems associated with ASM, as well as offer useful insights into the mechanisms by which cooperatives are constituted. This discussion brought up the question of how mineral cooperatives in Brazil function and whether the way they are constituted influences their ability to organize work and how they function. In order to empirically analyze this question, the research delimited the cooperatives in the state of Minas Gerais, in the southeastern region of the country, as the universe of analysis. Fourteen mineral cooperatives were identified. Data collection was carried out by means of on-site interviews and analysis of the founding by-laws and minutes of incorporation of these organizations. Interviews were also held with agents of the local government. The results presented point out that the formation of cooperatives in Minas Gerais is more linked to external demand and to pressure from the environment than to the endogenous motivation of a group. The cooperatives that were created by the workers' initiative tend to follow the principles of cooperativism in an endogenous way. On the other hand, the cooperatives that were created due to the requirements of regulatory agencies have great difficulties assimilating the cooperative model. Finally, we conclude that the pressure for the formalization of cooperatives was not accompanied by the structuring of public policies that support social organization and collective action, thus motivating the merely formal emergence of cooperatives.

How can shares be increased for indigenous peoples in state rights paid by mining companies? An education incentive through direct contribution to the people

Mining investors in Turkey give between 0.5 and 18.75% of pit sale prices as a state right for the per ton mineral they extract per year. It is foreseen that 25% of these state rights charged during the mining life will be paid to the special provincial administration where the mining license is, 25% to the union for providing services for villages, and 50% to the national treasury. Especially the first two of them can be considered as the shares that indirectly contribute from state rights to the indigenous peoples of the region where mining is conducted. However, the benefits of mining to the region where it is conducted may perceptibly be insufficient. Or, although it is sufficient, the indigenous peoples may perceive these contributions as insufficient as a result of the administration not spending it in the public interest. In this case, especially from mining, can a system be applied through direct payment from state rights to the indigenous peoples? In this study, questions were asked to the permanent supervisors working in mining enterprises by using the SurveyMonkey program to approximately determine the direct contributions that can be made to the indigenous peoples of the region where mining is conducted from state rights which are paid annually and during the mine lifetime in Turkey. The mining enterprises answering the survey and the average state rights paid by all mining enterprises in Turkey were evaluated by considering the mining sector conditions. It is believed that increasing the existing state right rates further will not provide an increase in the share allocated to the indigenous peoples. Instead, it is proposed that the entire special provincial administration share and at least 60% of the national treasury share are paid as a direct contribution to the indigenous peoples. In this direction, it is suggested that the state right share is distributed to the indigenous peoples directly based on criteria such as the most affected residential areas from mining, population, the number of kindergarten/primary school/middle school/high school/university students among families with children, not being involved in crime, children not working at any jobs, and for how many years the individuals have their domicile at those houses. This system is a higher education incentive system that can be applied in regions that are adversely affected by mining. Allocating a direct share to the indigenous peoples in line with the incentive of education may have positive effects on the way the peoples perceive mining. Although it is suggested that the national treasury share is reduced, treasury revenues from mining will continue to increase by virtue of new mining operations to be opened in the medium term.

Combined PS-InSAR Technology and High-Resolution Optical Remote Sensing for Identifying Illegal Underground Mining in the Suburb of Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, China

Illegal mining is one of the biggest problems in many coal mines. With the rapid development of the economy, driven by huge economic benefits, some outlaws illegally exploit mineral resources without a mining license, which is destructive and a potential safety hazard. In order to avoid inspection by law enforcement officials, some outlaws, regardless of the cost or risk, privately and surreptitiously excavate coal mines in self-built houses. The coal resources they excavate are shallow coal resources. Because surface buildings can maintain strong and stable radar scattering characteristics over a long time series, in this study, we combined PS-InSAR technology and high-resolution optical remote sensing to extract the subsidence information of surface buildings corresponding to PS point sets and analyzed their spatiotemporal characteristics. Finally, we developed a fast and accurate method for detecting suspected illegal mining sites from building subsidence information over a larger area. We also carried out a case study using Shandi Village, a suburb of Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, China, as our research object. QuickBird-2, WorldView-2 data, and 20 PALSAR scenes were selected for the experimental research, and two illegal mining sites were detected from 29 December 2006 to 9 January 2011. By comparing our results with previous investigation data, it was found that the accuracy rate reached 40% in local areas, and the detection rate reached 66.67%. In addition, the mining periods were basically consistent. This research shows that our method is feasible and has certain engineering applicability and practical value.

HAK MENGUASAI NEGARA DI BIDANG PERTAMBANGAN MINERAL DAN BATUBARA DI ERA OTODA

The economy is structured as a joint venture based on the principle of kinship", the meaning is profound, namely that the economic system developed gotong royong. The inherent meaning of people's economic rights to be maintained by the State Ruled Rights. Law Number 3 of 2020, Article 92 provides authority in the form of rights for mining license (IUP) and special mining business permit (IUPK) holders. This arrangement is a form of freedom to trade these mining materials so that it has the potential to obscure the constitutional right of the state, so that the state's position becomes a sub-ordination of business actors. The spirit of regional autonomy is essential to provide flexibility to maximize mineral and coal mining management. The results: the economic rights of the people are attached to the meaning of the right to be controlled by the state is a manifestation of the fulfillment of the economic rights of the people as a subject to obtain prosperity. The regulation that gives the permission holder authority over minerals and coal to possess is legally contrary to the constitution.

Artisanal mining and its drivers in the South African context

In South Africa, Zama Zama mining is a colloquial term referring to artisanal mining. This type of mining is illegal, seeing that these mining activities are conducted without a mining license. Zama Zama mining is often associated with several social ills, for example, issues related to the miners’ health and safety, environmental deprivation, child labour and the occurrence of violence and conflict within the sector. South African mining companies and law enforcement officials tend to view the solution to these problems to lie in policing this sector but are achieving little success. This article suggests an alternative, more proactive approach by exploring the drivers of artisanal gold mining in South Africa and ascertaining the responsibilities of mining companies in mitigating the drivers. A re-examination of Zama Zama mining's marginalisation could replace the current reactive ways pursued through policing and criminalising the sector with more sustainable and proactive approaches to address the sector's problems.

Oceanic bottom mixed layer in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone: potential influence on deep-seabed mining plume dispersal

The oceanic bottom mixed layer (BML) is a well mixed, weakly stratified, turbulent boundary layer. Adjacent to the seabed, the BML is of intrinsic importance for studying ocean mixing, energy dissipation, particle cycling and sediment-water interactions. While deep-seabed mining of polymetallic nodules is anticipated to commence in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the northeastern tropical Pacific Ocean, knowledge gaps regarding the form of the BML and its potentially key influence on the dispersal of sediment plumes generated by deep-seabed mining activities are yet to be addressed. Here, we report recent field observations from the German mining licence area in the CCZ that characterise the structure and variability of the BML locally. Quasi-uniform profiles of potential temperature extending from the seafloor reveal the presence of a spatially and temporally variable BML with an average local thickness of approximately 250 m. Deep horizontal currents in the region have a mean speed of 3.5 cm s-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^{-1}$$\\end{document} and a maximum speed of 12 cm s-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$^{-1}$$\\end{document} at 18.63 ms above bottom over an 11 month record. The near-bottom currents initially have a net southeastward flow, followed by westward and southward flows with the development of complex, anticyclonic flow patterns. Theoretical predictions and historical data show broad consistency with mean BML thickness but cannot explain the observed heterogeneity of local BML thickness. We postulate that deep pressure anomalies induced by passing surface mesoscale eddies and abyssal thermal fronts could affect BML thickness, in addition to local topographic effects. A simplified transport model is then used to study the influence of the BML on the interplay between turbulent diffusion and sediment settling in the transport of deep-seabed mining induced sediment plumes. Over a range of realistic parameter values, the effects of BML on plume evolution can vary significantly, highlighting that resolving the BML will be a crucial step for accurate numerical modelling of plume dispersal.