(1) A person may apply to the Minister for an extension of the term of a licence.(2) An application is to be (a) in an approved form; and(b) accompanied by the prescribed fee; and(c) lodged with the Registrar before the licence ceases to be in force.(3) The Minister may (a) grant the application for any further period, of not more than 10 years, that the Minister determines, and with or without any conditions; or(b) refuse to grant the application.(4) The Minister may grant under this section more than one application in relation to a licence under this section.(5) The Minister, by notice in writing, must notify the applicant of (a) the grant of the application; or(b) the refusal to grant the application and the reasons for the refusal.(6) A licensee may, within 28 days after receipt of a notice under subsection (5) in relation to an application, appeal to the Mining Tribunal against the Minister's refusal to grant the application.(7) A licence to which an application under subsection (1) relates remains in force until (a) the Minister makes a decision under subsection (3) ; or(b) if an appeal is made under subsection (6) , the Mining Tribunal makes an order in relation to the appeal; or(c) if the date on which the licence would, if the application were not granted, expire is a date later than the date on which a decision or order referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) occurs the date on which the licence would expire.