Mining Lands Section
Notices
March 30, 2011
On April 4, 2011, new staking and recording regulations come into effect. Please review the following documents:
March 29, 2011
Please read about the Change of Filing Times for Mining Act Documents.
Who We Are
Mining Lands is a section within the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines mandated to provide orderly and
fair processes to ensure the availability of Crown land to
prospect, explore and acquire Crown mineral rights for mining
purposes.
Our staff have expertise in
-
claim
staking
-
assessing
exploration work
- inspecting the staking of mining claims and reported
exploration work
- processing application for mining
leases and other forms of title to mining rights
- collecting annual taxes on patented mining rights and annual
rent on mining leases and licences of occupation
- registering transfers of mining claims and administering
mining leases and licences of occupation
- administering surrenders and forfeiture of mining leases,
licences of occupation and patented mining rights
- title searching
We are award-winning leaders in the development of computer
applications to provide claim maps and mining claim information
to the public.
What are mining lands?
Mining lands include
- 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
- lands or mining rights located, staked out, used or intended
to be used for mining purposes
- surface rights granted solely for mining purposes
Our Clients
- claim stakers
- the mineral exploration industry
- any person or company who has questions about whether or not
they own the mineral rights along with their surface rights
- any person, company, association or First Nations community
who wants to understand the process of obtaining Crown mining
rights
- the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding interaction
between the Mining Act, Public Lands Act and
Aggregate Resources Act
- the Ontario government, which develops policies to best serve
the public interest and which promotes Ontario’s mineral
resources to investors
What We Provide
- up-to-date claim maps showing the
availability of Crown mineral rights open for staking
-
Prospector’s
licences to people, which authorizes grass-roots
prospecting, regional geotechnical surveys, and staking and
recording of mining claims
- up-to-date registry
of recorded mining claims
- expert advice about the
Mining Act and its regulations
- review of exploration reports filed with the Ministry, to
ensure that the report meets the requirements of the
Assessment Work Regulation
- administration of mining lands, from mining claims to leases,
to ensure that the mining rights are being utilized for
exploration and mining purposes
- administration of rent and mining tax
rolls to ensure payment, or return of the land to the Crown to
once again make the mining rights available for exploration and
development
- monitoring of the existing Mining Act and its
regulations for possible amendments to meet the needs of the
staking, exploration and mining industries while meeting the
needs of surface rights owners and First Nations communities as
they interact with explorationists
- the forms
required under the Mining Act
- information on fees required
under the Mining Act
- document filing, forwarding and fee payment services
Contacting Aboriginal Communities
Mining Claims
For any information about mining claims from obtaining a
prospector’s licence, staking and recording a claim, requirements
to keep the claim in good standing, transferring your claim or
applying for a mining lease, contact the Provincial Recording Office.
Assessment Work
For information about the Assessment Work regulation and the
review of exploration work that you file with the Ministry,
contact the Geoscience Assessment Office.
Mining Leases, Licences of Occupation, Patented Mining Rights
For information about your existing lease, renewing your lease,
selling your lease or licence of occupation, or paying your rent
on a mining lease or licence of occupation or mining land tax on
your patented mining rights, contact the Land Tenure / Dispositions Office.
Unusual or Special Circumstances
For information regarding an unusual or special circumstance
pertaining to your mining claims or leases, licences of
occupation or patents, contact the Technical Services Office.