This booklet tracks the issues of mineral exploration and development by flagging each stage at which decisions can be made to proceed or abandon the process. Some of the decision-making tools are a development policy, a clear understanding of the mineral disposition rights process, a full understanding of the exploration and development business including its costs, a full understanding of the environmental risk, and a mineral implementation strategy if you decide to proceed.

The process starts with a basic decision: Do you want expanded economic development of any kind for your First Nation? If so, what kind? If your choice is mineral and mining, the next stage is to surrender your mineral rights to allow exploration. The developer establishes the presence, quantity, quality and accessibility of minerals on your land. Like a series of forks in the road, the results of each exploration stage lead either to a more detailed investigation or a decision to go no further, culminating in the building of a mine. All along the road, the First Nation must measure the benefits of jobs, training, new infrastructure, royalty and surface rent income against the possible costs of dead-end investigation, environmental problems and diminished privacy on the reserve. The decisions are yours. They are easier to make based on information on every stage of the process.

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