O.C.G.A. § 12-4-101 (2019)

(a) Licenses shall be granted upon the express condition that the grantees shall pay to the Office of the State Treasurer the sum of $1.00 per ton for every ton of phosphate rock and phosphatic deposit mined and removed from the navigable rivers and waters of this state and the banks and margins thereof. This sum shall be paid on October 1 of every year and shall cover the amount of phosphate rock and phosphatic deposit mined and removed during the preceding year.

(b) An applicant shall pay to the Office of the State Treasurer the sum of $100.00 as a license fee before commencing business.

(c) Before commencing operations, a license holder shall file or cause to be filed with the Office of the State Treasurer an affidavit and bond in the penal sum of $20,000.00. The affidavit and bond shall be approved by the Attorney General and shall be conditioned on the holder’s making true and faithful reports to the Office of the State Treasurer annually on or before October 1, or more frequently if required by the Office of the State Treasurer, of the number of tons of phosphate rock and phosphatic deposits mined and removed by the holder from the beds of the navigable streams and waters and the banks or margins thereof and also conditioned on the holder’s punctually paying to the Office of the State Treasurer the sum required by subsection (a) of this Code section.