Notice to Explorationists

ONTARIO REGULATION 240/00, MINE DEVELOPMENT AND CLOSURE UNDER PART VII OF THE MINING ACT, CAME INTO FORCE JUNE 30TH, 2000 REPLACING O.REG.114/91. THE DEFINITIONS OF ADVANCED EXPLORATION, WHICH TRIGGER PART VII REQUIREMENTS, HAVE BEEN AMENDED AS WELL AS THE LANDS SUBJECT TO THIS REGULATION (NOTE THAT # 5 & 6 BELOW NOW APPLY TO MINING CLAIMS). YOU SHOULD MAKE YOURSELF FAMILIAR WITH THESE AS FOLLOWS:

For the purposes of Part VII of the Ontario Mining Act "advanced exploration" includes the following work (see statute as well):

  1. Exploration carried out underground involving the construction of new mine workings or expanding the dimensions of existing mine workings.
  2. Exploration involving the reopening of underground mine workings by the removal of fixed or permanently fastened caps or bulkheads, or involving the excavation of backfilled shafts, raises, adits or portals.
  3. Exploration that may alter, destroy, remove or impair any rehabilitation work done in accordance with Part VII of the Act or a filed closure plan.
  4. Excavation of material in excess of 1,000 tonnes.
  5. Surface stripping of any mining lands of an area in excess of 10,000 square metres or volume in excess of 10,000 cubic meters.
  6. Surface stripping carried out on mining lands whose area is greater than 2,500 square metres or that produces a volume of material greater than 2,500 cubic metres, if any surface stripping is carried out within 100 metres of a body of water. 

Some definitions for above:

"material" means rock, ore or any substance excavated during the process of development, mining, evaluation or testing any mineral or mineral deposit, but does not include excavated overburden.

"surface stripping" means the removal of overburden to expose bedrock or other material.

"mining lands" includes,

  1. the lands and mining rights patented or leased under or by authority of a statute, regulation or order in council, respecting mines, minerals or mining, 
  2. lands or mining rights located, staked out, used or intended to be use for mining purposes, and
  3. surface rights granted solely for mining purposes

Visit - www.gov.on.ca/MINES/MG/minrehab.htm – for further information or contact the Mineral Development Officer for your area.