Section 24. Provincial/City Mining Regulatory Board. —

There is hereby created under the direct supervision and control of the Secretary a provincial/city mining regulatory board, herein called the Board, which shall be the implementing agency of the Department, and shall exercise the following powers and functions, subject to review by the Secretary:

1. Declare and segregate existing gold-rush areas for small-scale mining;

2. Reserve future gold and other mining areas for small-scale mining;

3. Award contracts to small-scale miners;

4. Formulate and implement rules and regulations related to small-scale mining;

5. Settle disputes, conflicts or litigations over conflicting claims within a people's small-scale mining area, an area that is declared a small-mining; and

6. Perform such other functions as may be necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of this Act.