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Definition of advanced exploration

The following outlines the definition of advanced exploration under Part VII of the Mining Act and the types of work that fall under the definition of advanced exploration under the new Regulations of Part VII.

Definition under Mining Act

Advanced Exploration
The excavation of an exploratory shaft, adit or decline, the extraction of material in excess of the prescribed quantity whether the extraction involves the disturbance or movement of prescribed material located above or below the surface of the ground, the installation of a mill for test purposes or any other prescribed work.

Types of Work under Regulations

  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 made in accordance with Part VII of the Act, or a filed closure plan
  4. Excavation of material in excess of 1000 tonnes.
  5. Surface stripping on mining lands where the surface area over which the surface stripping is carried out is greater than 10,000 square metres, or where the volume of surface stripping is greater than 10,000 cubic metres, except where all of the following are satisfied:
    1. Surface stripping is carried out in two or more separate areas on the mining lands.
    2. The edges of each area where surface stripping is carried out are separated by a minimum of 500 metres.
    3. In each area where surface stripping is carried out,
      1. the surface area over which the surface stripping is carried out is not greater than 10,000 square metres, and
      2. the volume of surface stripping is not greater than 10,000 cubic metres.
  6. Surface stripping on any mining lands of an area in excess of 2,500 square metres or volume in excess of 2,500 cubic metres, if any of the activity occurs less than 100 metres from a body of water.

Note:

Material
Rock, ore or any other substance excavated during the process of developing, mining, evaluating or testing any mineral or mineral deposit, but does not include excavated overburden;
Surface stripping
The removal of overburden to expose bedrock or other material.