Statute Details
- Title: Sand and Granite Quarries Act 1970
- Act Code: SGQA1970
- Type: Act of Parliament (Singapore)
- Long Title: An Act for the licensing and control of sand and granite quarries and for matters incidental thereto.
- Commencement: [15 December 1971] (as indicated in the extract)
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per provided metadata)
- Key Policy Themes: Licensing control; safety and nuisance prevention; environmental/effluent and waste management; fencing and site security; enforcement powers; offences and penalties; regulatory framework
- Selected Key Sections (from metadata and extract): s 4 (licensing prohibition); s 5 (discretionary licensing); s 6 (security); s 7 (power to execute works); s 8 (conditions for granting); s 13 (safety measures); s 14 (fencing); s 17 (default in compliance with notice); s 19 (attempts/abetments); s 21 (saving of prosecutions); s 24 (regulations)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Sand and Granite Quarries Act 1970 (“SGQA”) establishes a licensing and regulatory regime for the use and management of land for sand and granite quarrying in Singapore. In plain terms, it makes quarrying a controlled activity: you generally cannot operate a sand or granite quarry unless you hold a licence granted under the Act, and you must comply with the licence conditions and statutory requirements designed to protect public safety, neighbouring property, and health.
The Act is also structured around practical enforcement. It gives the Licensing Officer powers to require remedial works, to execute works if the licensee fails to do so, and to recover costs. It further addresses site safety (including fencing), operational hazards (including safety measures), and environmental nuisance concerns such as effluent water and waste matter. Where a disused quarry becomes dangerous, the Act imposes duties to keep it reasonably fenced.
For practitioners, the SGQA is best understood as a “control statute”: it focuses less on detailed technical quarrying standards in the Act itself and more on (i) licensing discretion and conditions, (ii) safety and nuisance prevention obligations, and (iii) enforcement mechanisms that allow the State to act quickly to mitigate danger.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1) Prohibition on quarrying without a licence (Section 4)
Section 4 is the cornerstone. It provides that no person may, on or after 15 December 1971, use or manage any land for sand or granite quarry purposes without a licence from the Licensing Officer authorising that person to do so. Operating without a licence is an offence. The extract indicates a fine not exceeding $5,000, and for a continuing offence, an additional fine not exceeding $100 for every day (or part thereof) after conviction.
Importantly, Section 4(3) includes evidential presumptions that assist prosecution. For sand quarrying, the existence of apparatus or accessories for getting/dressing/preparing sand for sale on or in the land is prima facie evidence that the person owning or controlling the apparatus is using/managing the land for a sand quarry. For granite quarrying, the existence of mechanical equipment used for blasting/sorting/breaking/loading/transporting granite blocks and overburden is prima facie evidence of using/managing the land for a granite quarry. This shifts the evidential burden in practice: once the prosecution shows the relevant equipment/apparatus exists, the defendant must be prepared to rebut the inference.
2) Discretionary licensing and licence terms (Section 5)
Section 5 makes clear that licences are discretionary. The Licensing Officer may grant, renew, or refuse licences at his discretion. The Act also states that licences may be granted/renewed/refused without assigning reasons. This is significant for administrative law strategy: while judicial review principles may still apply in appropriate cases, the statutory text expressly reduces the expectation of reasons as a matter of entitlement.
Section 5 further provides that licences may be suspended or revoked at any time without compensation and without notice upon breach of any restriction or condition. Licences are generally time-limited: unless expressly provided otherwise, they may be for a period not exceeding 12 months. Transferability is restricted: licences are not transferable without the Licensing Officer’s consent.
For granite quarry licensing specifically, Section 5(7) requires a certified site plan from the Chief Surveyor indicating the location of the granite quarry to be deposited with the Licensing Officer. This requirement is a practical gatekeeping step and should be addressed early in any application.
3) Security for due performance (Section 6)
Section 6 allows the Licensing Officer to require security as a condition of granting a licence. The security is intended to ensure the licensee performs obligations imposed by the licence, the Act, or regulations. For counsel advising quarry operators, this provision is critical because it affects cashflow and risk allocation: security can be used later to satisfy costs incurred by the State (see Section 7 and cost recovery provisions).
4) Enforcement: power to execute works and recover costs (Section 7)
Section 7 addresses what happens when a licensee fails to execute required works to prevent nuisance or danger to life or property. If the licensee fails to execute work required by the licence or by the Act/regulations, the Licensing Officer may issue a written notice requiring execution within a specified time. If the licensee does not comply, the Licensing Officer may cause the work to be executed without instituting proceedings against the licensee. The expenses incurred must be paid by the licensee.
Cost recovery is expressly permitted in two ways: (a) by deducting the amount due from sums deposited as security under Section 6; or (b) by recovery in the manner provided in Section 22 (costs and expenses determined by the Magistrate’s Court). This is a strong enforcement tool: it enables the State to mitigate hazards promptly and then pursue reimbursement, rather than waiting for criminal prosecution.
5) Substantive licensing conditions: nuisance, amenity, and health/safety (Section 8)
Section 8 sets substantive criteria for granting licences. No licence shall be granted unless the Licensing Officer is satisfied that quarry use is unlikely to: (a) cause nuisance or damage to occupants of adjoining or neighbouring land/buildings; (b) cause depreciation in value or amenity of adjoining or neighbouring land/buildings; or (c) be dangerous to health, life, or property. This “unlikely” standard is a meaningful threshold for applicants: it implies that the Licensing Officer must be persuaded that adverse impacts are not just unlikely in a general sense, but unlikely in relation to the specific premises and proposed operations.
6) Safety and site control: safety measures and fencing (Sections 13 and 14)
While the extract provided does not reproduce Sections 13 and 14 in full, the Act’s long title and the listed key sections indicate that these provisions impose operational safety measures and require fencing of sand and granite quarries. In practice, these are among the most litigated and inspection-relevant obligations because they translate into visible compliance requirements (e.g., perimeter fencing, safe access, and hazard controls). Section 14 is also linked to Section 14’s “disused quarry” concept in the metadata: where a disused quarry is dangerous to the public, it must be kept reasonably fenced. This extends liability beyond active operations to legacy sites.
7) Offences, attempts/abetments, and procedural savings (Sections 19 and 21)
Section 19 provides that attempts to commit offences punishable under the Act, or abetments of such offences, are also punishable. Section 21 is a “saving” provision: nothing in the Act prevents prosecution under any other law for acts or omissions that may also constitute offences elsewhere. For practitioners, this means SGQA compliance does not immunise a party from other regulatory regimes (for example, environmental, public safety, or land-use laws).
8) Regulations (Section 24)
Section 24 empowers the Minister to make regulations “as he may consider expedient” for the purposes of the Act. This is important because many operational details—such as technical requirements, reporting, standards, or procedural rules—may be implemented through subsidiary legislation rather than being fully spelled out in the Act text. When advising clients, counsel should always check the current subsidiary regulations and any amendments.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The SGQA is organised into a sequence of provisions that move from (i) definitions and appointment of the Licensing Officer, to (ii) the licensing prohibition and discretionary licensing framework, to (iii) security and enforcement powers, and then to (iv) operational controls (including safety measures, fencing, effluent and waste management, and restrictions on interference with river banks), followed by (v) enforcement and offences (including obstruction, default in compliance with notices, attempts/abetments, and liability for agents/servants), and finally (vi) procedural and regulatory provisions (costs, exemptions, and regulations).
In practical terms, the Act’s “core workflow” is: apply for and obtain a licence (s 5, with substantive criteria s 8), operate in compliance with licence conditions and statutory duties (including safety and fencing), and respond to enforcement notices (s 7 and related default provisions). If the licensee fails to comply, the Licensing Officer can execute works and recover costs, and criminal liability may also arise.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The SGQA applies to any person who uses or manages land for the purposes of a sand or granite quarry without a licence (s 4). “Licensee” is defined as the person to whom a licence to use or manage land for quarry purposes is granted under Section 5. The Act also defines “sand quarry” and “granite quarry” broadly, capturing both manual and mechanical processes.
In addition to the operator, the Act’s enforcement provisions can reach those who control relevant equipment or apparatus on the land, given the prima facie evidence rules in Section 4(3). Further, the Act contemplates liability in relation to agents and servants (as indicated by the presence of Section 20 in the long title list), and it includes attempts and abetments (s 19). Therefore, corporate quarry operators, contractors, site managers, and persons with operational control should all be assessed for potential exposure.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
The SGQA remains important because quarrying activities inherently create risks: unstable excavations, blasting hazards, dust and noise nuisance, water contamination, and dangers to the public—especially at disused sites. The Act’s licensing and enforcement architecture is designed to ensure that these risks are managed through conditions, security, and rapid remedial action.
From an enforcement perspective, the most significant practical features are: (i) the licensing prohibition with evidential presumptions (s 4), (ii) the discretionary nature of licensing and the ability to suspend or revoke without notice upon breach (s 5), and (iii) the Licensing Officer’s power to execute works without instituting proceedings and recover expenses (s 7). These features reduce delay and increase the likelihood that hazards are addressed promptly.
For practitioners advising quarry operators, developers, or landowners, the Act also has strategic implications. Because licences are discretionary and can be suspended or revoked without notice, compliance planning should be proactive and documented. Where security is required, counsel should advise on how security interacts with cost recovery and on the importance of responding quickly to notices. Finally, because Section 21 preserves other prosecutions, SGQA compliance should be treated as one layer in a broader regulatory compliance framework.
Related Legislation
- Granite Quarries Act 1970
- Granite Quarries Act 1970 (as listed in the provided metadata)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Sand and Granite Quarries Act 1970 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.