His Majesty King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) officially endorsed “The Royal Department of Mines and Geology (RDMG)” under Ministry of Agricultural on January 1, 1891 (B.E. 2434). The department was transferred to be under six ministries depending on the times as follows: Ministry of Agricultural, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of National Development.

The name of the department was changed to be “Department of Mineral Resources” once it was under Ministry of National Development. After the bureaucratic reform on October 3, 2002 (B.E. 2545), Department of Mineral Resources has been transferred to be under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Before the bureaucratic reform,

Department of Mineral Resources under Ministry of Industry had four major missions:

• Survey geology data and mineral resources,
• Drill groundwater well, permit and regulate the groundwater operation according to the Groundwater Act, B.E. 2520, and relevant acts,
• Permit mineral exploration license, mining license, and regulate the mining operation according to the Minerals Act, B.E. 2510 and its following amendments and relevant acts,
• Make concession and regulate the petroleum operation according to the Petroleum Act, B.E. 2514, and relevant acts.

After the bureaucratic reform

Department of Mineral Resources has been divided based on missions according to Reorganization of Ministry, Sub-Ministry, and Department Act, B.E. 2545 into four departments as follows:

• Department of Mineral Resources under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,
• Department of Groundwater Resources under Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment,
• Department of Primary Industries and Mines under Ministry of Industry,
• Department of Mineral Fuels under Ministry of Energy.