Sue,I did not post the lease belongs to the crown.When RIO`s...

Sue,

I did not post the lease belongs to the crown.
When RIO`s Exploration License expired the ground that it covered reverts to the crown and becomes vacant crown land and CAZ have applied for an Exploration License over the same ground and are first inline of 3 other applications. All they "own" is an application for a tenement and RIO have objected to that application.
Under the DOIR mining act you have Exploration licenses, Prospecting Licenses and Mining leases. On EL`s and PL`s you can explore for minerals and must meet certain expenditure requirements or apply for exemptions to those requirements which RIO have been successfully doing. If thru exploring a license (ie a granted tenement)you find a mine that you think will be profitable then you must apply for a Mining Lease and have it granted before you can process any ore.
The DOIR are pushing a "use it or lose it" policy very hard and IMHO RIO by applying for expenditure exemptions each year were not "using" that tenement and it should be granted to CAZ. But, as you can see from my Tag, I am to far down the pecking order for the Minister to consider my opinion.