The development of the urban fabric in the Maltese Islands has relied on locally produced minerals. This remains true today and will remain so in the foreseeable future.
Currently, Minerals Environmental Planning is exercised within the parameters of the Development Planning Act 1992  and the Environment Protection Act 2001 .

A Minerals Subject Plan  was prepared and approved by the Planning Authority Board, March 2002, in accordance with Section 24 of the Development Planning Act (1992). The Plan provides a more detailed analysis of the Minerals Industry than originally provided by the Structure Plan (1990) . Among other items of relevance to the regulation of the Minerals industry the Plan also includes a revised version of the Code of Practice originally approved by the Planning Authority in March 1993 .

The key mineral extracted in the Maltese Islands is limestone. Limestone is used primarily in the construction industry, which requires a reliable supply of materials to be used in the construction of housing, roads, schools, hospitals and other aspects of the Islands’ infrastructure. As a result, minerals extraction is an integral and important element of the Maltese economy.

The minerals industry comprises the extraction of hardstone from the Islands’ Coralline Limestone resources, for use as aggregates; and the extraction of softstone from the Islands’ Globerigina Limestone resources, for use as building stone.

There are 26 licensed and active hardstone quarries and 45 licensed and active softstone quarries on the Islands. The softstone quarries are relatively concentrated and the key areas include Mqabba and Siggiewi on Malta, and Dwejra on Gozo. The hardstone quarries are less concentrated and are found in areas along the west and northwest coast of Malta and in central areas along Wied il-Ghasel and Mosta/Naxxar. Other hardstone quarries are found to the south of Malta, Rabat and to the east of Gozo.

It is estimated that annual production of softstone is around 400,000 m3 and hardstone around 740,000 m3. Historically however, data on production has not been comprehensive.