(1)No United Kingdom national may in Antarctica—
(a)drill, dredge or excavate for mineral resources,
(b)collect any samples of mineral resources, or
(c)do anything for the purpose of identifying specific mineral resource occurrences or deposits, or areas where such occurrences or deposits may be found,
except in accordance with a permit granted under this section.
(2)Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
(3)The Secretary of State may on the application of any person grant to him a permit authorising any United Kingdom national who is specified or of a description specified in the permit to do anything so specified or of a description so specified that would otherwise constitute a contravention of subsection (1).
(4)The Secretary of State shall not grant a permit under this section unless he is satisfied that the activities authorised by the permit will be carried on—
(a)only for the purposes of scientific research, or
(b)only for purposes connected with the construction, maintenance or repair in Antarctica of a British station within the meaning of section 4 or of any other structure, road, runway or jetty maintained by or on behalf of a United Kingdom national.
(5)In this section “mineral resource” means any natural resource that is neither living nor renewable.