Section 131—
omit, insert—
'(1) An eligible person may apply for an exploration permit (the proposed permit) other than for a sub-block—
(a) over which a current exploration permit authorises exploration for a mineral for which the proposed permit is sought; or
(b) that has been the subject of an exploration permit (the earlier permit) authorising the exploration for a mineral for which the proposed permit is sought and less than 2 months has passed since the end of the month in which the sub-block ceased to be in—
(i) the earlier permit's area; or
(ii) if the earlier permit has ended—the former earlier permit's area; or
(c) that is or has been the subject of an earlier exploration permit application if the earlier application was for a mineral for which the proposed permit is sought and—
(i) the earlier application has not been decided; or
(ii) if the earlier application has been refused or abandoned—less than 2 months has passed since the end of the month in which the earlier application was refused or abandoned.
'(2) Despite subsection (1)(a), an eligible person may apply for a proposed permit for a sub-block (the relevant sub-block) in the area of a current exploration permit if—
(a) the person is the holder of the current exploration permit; and
(b) the person purports to surrender the current exploration permit under section 161(1) and the application for the proposed permit relates to land including the relevant sub-block .
'(3) Despite subsection (1)(b), an eligible person may apply for a proposed permit for a sub-block over which the person held an exploration permit the person had surrendered to be granted a further exploration permit for the sub-block.'.