Author

DANILOVA N.V., PETROV V.V.

Title of article

CRIMINAL LAW QUALIFICATION OF UNAUTHORIZED
MINING: PROBLEMS OF THEORY AND PRACTICE

Section

Section 4. Criminal Law

Issue, year

4 (46) 2018

Abstract

The article deals with the controversial issues concerning the qualification of unauthorized mining, that is without obtaining a license for the right to use mineral resources. The study
of the scientific literature and law enforcement practice shows that the unlicensed extraction of mineral resources is classified differently. In some cases, it can be classified as illegal entrepreneurship, in other
cases – as a violation of the rules for the protection and use of mineral resources. It can also be qualified as a theft. The analysis of the subjective and objective elements of the considered act allows
the authors to conclude that this case is an ideal cumulative crime, provided by articles 158 and 255 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. On the one hand, mining activities without obtaining
a license for the right to use mineral resources violate the requirements of the Law of the Russian Federation “On mineral resources” concerning the rational use and protection of mineral resources. On the other hand, it is obvious that mining is carried out by the infringer for the purpose of illegal possession of another’s property, that is, the extracted mineral resources. The proposed qualification also eliminates the problems of distinguishing between a criminal offence and such administrative
offence as unauthorized use of mineral resources in such cases.

Keywords

license for the right to use mineral resources; unauthorized use of mineral resources; criminal liability; environmental crime; illegal entrepreneurship; theft.

References

1. Bagmet A.M., Ivanov A.L. Spornye voprosy kvalifikatsii nezakonnoy dobychi poleznyh iskopaemyh i ih razreshenie v sudebnoy praktike [Controversial issues of qualification of illegal mining and their resolution in judicial practice]. Rossiyskiy sud’ya – Russian judge, 2014, no. 7, pp. 15-19.

2. Danilova N.V. Razvitie dogovornyh otnosheniy v sfere nedropol’zovaniya [Development of contractual
relations in the field of subsoil use]. Uchenye zapiski Instituta gosudarstva i prava [Scientific notes of the Institute of
State and Law]. Tyumen, Publishing House of Tyumen State University, 2000. Issue 1. Pp. 96-104.

3. Zhevlakov E.N. O razgranichenii ekonomicheskih i ekologicheskih prestupleniy: teoriya, zakonodatel’stvo, praktika [On the delimitation of economic and environmental crimes: theory, legislation, practice]. Ugolovnoe pravo – Criminal Law, 2017, no. 2, pp. 55-63.

4. Lopashenko N.A. Otvetstvennost’ za narushenie pravil ohrany i ispol’zovaniya nedr [Responsibility for violation of the rules for the protection and use of mineral resources]. Rossiyskaya yustitsiya – Russian Justice, 2002, no. 4, pp. 51-53.

5. Tolkachenko A.A. Neftedobycha i narushenie pravil ispol’zovaniya nedr [Oil production and violation of the rules of subsoil use]. Ugolovnoe pravo – Criminal law, 2006, no. 4, pp. 60-64.

6. Popov I.V. Bezlitsenzionnaya (samovol’naya) dobycha poleznyh iskopaemyh kak narushenie pravil ohrany i ispol’zovaniya nedr (st. 255 UK) [License-free (unauthorized) mining of minerals as a violation of the rules for the protection and use of mineral resources (Article 255 of the Criminal Code)]. Ugolovnoe pravo – Criminal Law, 2012,
no. 4, pp. 31-34.

7. Ugolovnoe pravo: Osobennaya chast’ [Criminal law: Special part]. Moscow, NORMA Publ., 2001. 960 p.