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Prospector
The following is meant solely to help the reader understand the main features of primary regulations governing this activity, and not meant in any way to provide a legal interpretation.
A prospector is a person, other than a corporation, who holds a valid and current free miner certificate under the Mineral Tenure Act (see below) and is actively engaged in prospecting for minerals.
Mineral Tenure Act:
This Act grants title to all crown-owned, hard-rock minerals, placer and industrial minerals.
The Mineral Tenure Act sets out the following terms and conditions for acquiring and holding mineral tenure:
- an active Free Miner Certificate (FMC) is required;
- fees must be paid at the time of recording the tenure;
- to maintain titles, work must be submitted and recorded and development proposals submitted for approval;
- to maintain a mining or placer lease, an annual rental fee must be paid.
To qualify for an individual FMC, an individual must be at least 18 years old, and ordinarily be a resident of Canada for no less than 183 days in each calendar year. A non-resident who is authorized by the federal government to work in Canada may also acquire a FMC. Canadian citizens, regardless of their place of residence, are, by virtue of citizenship, authorized to work in Canada and may thus acquire a FMC.
The Mining Act requires that all mine owners deposit securities. These securities (often called bonds) are held by the government in trusts and can be used to carry out the program of environmental protection and reclamation if the mining company defaults.
Primary Contact:
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
Victoria Mineral Titles
Titles and Offshore Division,
PO Box 9326 Stn Prov Govt
6th Floor, 1810 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC, V8W 9N3
Phone: (250) 952-0542
Fax: (250) 952-0541
or,
Vancouver Mineral Titles
Titles and Offshore Division,
300 - 865 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 2G3
Phone: 604-660-2672
Fax: 604-660-2653
Website: http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/mining/titles/default.htm
FrontCounter BC:
FrontCounter BC is a single window service for clients of provincial natural resource ministries and agencies.
At FrontCounter BC offices across the province, natural resource clients obtain all the information and authorizations they need to start or expand a business.
Primary Contact:
FrontCounter BC
Toll free 1-877-855-3222
Locations: http://www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca/location.html
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