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CanadianMineralExploration

CanadianMineralExploration
MineralexplorationplaysakeyroleinensuringthelongtermviabilityofCanadasminingindustry.It
leadstothediscoveryanddevelopmentofmineraldepositsthatmaybecomefuturemines,creates
jobsofteninremoteandnortherncommunitiesandattractssignificantinvestment.
ConsultthelatestCanadianmineralexplorationstatistics(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/statistics/8854)
ReadthelatestinformationBulletinonMineralExplorationandDepositAppraisalExpendituresin
Canada(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/publications/17762)

Whatismineralexploration?
Mineralexplorationisthesearchformaterialsintheearthscrustthatappearinhighenough
concentrationsandamounts,andthatcanbeextractedandprocessedforprofit.
Mineralexplorationcoversawiderangeofobjectivesandactivities
(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/generalized_model_e.pdf)whichbegins
withtheselectionofatargetarea.Thetypeofworkcarriedoutdependsonthemineralsbeing
sought.Followingpromisingcluesthatmayleadtoadiscoveryoftenrequiressubstantialinvestment
andyearsofwork.Onlyasmallnumberofsuchcluesturnintodiscoveries,butnotuntildrillingand
rockexcavationhavemoreclearlydefinedtheextentofthedepositandcoststudieshave
concludedthatprofitableextractionispossible.
Mineralexplorationusuallycontinuesafteraminehasbegunproduction,andcanextendtheinitial
plannedminelifeasadditionalmineralresourcesandreserves(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/exploration/8294)aredefined.
Mineralexplorationactivitiesinclude:
Explorationplanningandregionalreconnaissancesurveys,donebyconductingremote
sensing,aerialphotography,andairbornegeophysicalsurveys
Prospectingandgroundsurveys,accomplishedthroughgeologicalmapping,rock,soil,water
andvegetationgeochemicalsampling,andgeophysicalsurveys
Verifyinganomaliesandshowingsbyconductingtrenching,drillingandothertypesof
sampling
Mineraldepositdiscoveryanddelimitation,accomplishedbyconductingstripping,trenching,
mapping,sampling,drillinganddownholegeophysics
Mineraldepositdefinition,achievedbycarryingoutdetailedmapping,samplinganddrillingon

surfaceorfromunderground,mineralogyandmineralprocessingtests,andenvironmental
andsitesurveys
Projectengineering,donebyconductingpilottestsofprocessingmethods,engineeringdesign
andplanning,andriskanalysis
Projecteconomics,accomplishedthroughfinancialstudies(prefeasibilitystudies)thatinclude
minecapitalandoperatingcostestimations
Feasibilitystudiesandproductiondecisions,accomplishedthroughanexhaustivedue
diligencereviewofalldata,interpretations,plansandestimates
Learnaboutthetopspendingexplorationanddepositappraisalprojects
(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/exploration/17179)

Juniorandseniorcompaniesconductexploration
MineralexplorationinCanadaismostlycarriedoutbyCanadianjuniorandseniormining
companies.Canadaiswellknownforthehighparticipationrateofjuniorminingcompanies,which
usuallyhavenooperatingrevenueandrelyonequityfinancing.Theytendtobesmall,flexible,and
specializeinhigherrisk,earlystageexplorationactivities.Whilesomejuniorcompaniesmaydecide
todevelopaprojectontheirownorwithapartner,seniorcompanies(producers)aretraditionally
mostlikelytobringamineintoproduction.
Asmallerportionofexplorationisdonebyforeignbasedorstatecontrolledentities.

Mostmineralrightsareownedbytheprovincialor
territorialgovernments
Mineralrightsareownedbyrespectiveprovincialorterritorialgovernments,withtheexceptionof
Nunavutandtheoffshore,wherethefederalgovernmentholdsthemineralrights.Insomecases,
Indigenousgroupsmayownandadministermineralrights.
Learnmoreaboutmineraltenureandminingregulations
(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/polipoli/pdf/Investment_Brief_e.pdf)

Canadabenefitsfromadiversifiedmineralendowment
Alongwithamineralendowmentofthemoretraditionalcommoditiessuchasgold,basemetals,
anddiamonds,mineralexplorationinCanadaalsoincludescommoditiesusedinhighlyvalued
applicationsinboththecleantechnologyandtheinformationtechnologysectorsrareearth
elements,graphite,lithium,andothers.
LearnmoreaboutthecommoditiesthatareproducedinCanada(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/markets/commodityreviews/8360)

Canadaranksfirstintheworld

Canadaranksfirstintheworld
Canadianheadquarteredcompaniesaccountforthelargestportionofglobalnonferrousmineral
explorationbudgets.Canadaisalsotheworldstopdestinationforplannednonferrousmineral
explorationspending. 1Vancouverishometotheworldslargestclusterofexplorationcompanies.
LearnmoreaboutwhatmakesCanadaaninvestmentdestinationofchoiceandaworldleaderin
miningandexploration(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/poli
poli/pdf/Investment_Brief_e.pdf)

Incentiveshelpmitigatetherisks
Thefederalgovernmentandprovinces/territoriesofferavarietyofminingsectorspecificfiscal
measures,suchasflowthroughshares(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/taxation/8874),to
helpmitigatetherisksassociatedwithmineralexploration.
Learnmoreaboutminingandmineralexplorationtaxation(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/taxation/8872)

Publicgeosciencehelpsmakeinformeddecisions
Thefederal,provincialandterritorialgovernmentsprovidegeoscienceintheformofgeological
maps,regionalgeophysicalsurveysandotherscientificinformation.Governmentgeoscience
activitiesalsogenerategeologicalinformationrequiredforvariouspublicuses,suchasstudies
relatedtolanduseandtheenvironment,publichealth,infrastructureplanning,nationaldefenceand
sovereignty.
Learnmoreaboutfederalearthsciencesprograms(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth
sciences/resources/federalprograms/10791)

Theindustryreliesonastrongequipmentandservice
sector
Canadiancitiesprovideregionalbasesforsupportingexploration,miningandalliedindustries
throughspecializedequipmentandservicesuppliers.EvenalargeurbanareasuchasTorontois
recognizedasaglobalhubforminingandmineralexplorationfinancingandlegalservices.
ReadthelatestinformationBulletinonMineralExplorationandDepositAppraisalExpendituresin
Canada(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/publications/17762)

Findoutmore
ReadtheGeneralMineralTenureRulesforExplorationandDevelopment

(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/poli
poli/pdf/Investment_Brief_e.pdf)
LearnabouttheMineralExplorationTaxCredit(METC)(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/taxation/8874)
FindoutabouttheGeneralizedModelofMineralResourceDevelopment
(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/generalized_model_e.pdf)
LearnaboutAboriginalparticipation(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/aboriginal/7815)
ReadMiningandExplorationinCanada:AnInvestorsBrief
(/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/mineralsmetals/pdf/mmssmm/poli
poli/pdf/Investment_Brief_e.pdf)
Findoutmoreaboutsustainablemineraldevelopment(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/mining/responsiblemineraldevelopment/16486)
DiscoverhowNRCancollects,assessesandpublishesmineralexplorationstatistics
(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/statistics/8854)
Getthefactsaboutgeology(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earthsciences/science/geology/10862)
Findlinkstofederalearthsciencesprograms(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth
sciences/resources/federalprograms/10791)

Readthelatestresearch,reports,mapsandstatisticaldata
LearnaboutmineralexplorationanddepositappraisalexpendituresinCanada(Information
Bulletin(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/publications/17762))
Seeamapofthetop100explorationanddepositappraisalprojects
(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/exploration/17179)
DownloadstatisticaldataonCanadasmineralexploration(http://sead.nrcan.gc.ca/expl
expl/stastaeng.aspx)
ReadaboutMineralExploration,DepositAppraisal,andMineComplexDevelopmentActivityin
Canada,20102011(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/exploration/13814)
ReadtheanOverviewofTrendsinCanadianMineralExploration
(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/miningmaterials/exploration/8292)report

LearnaboutCanadianreservesofselectedmajormetals(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/exploration/8294)
FindoutmoreaboutCanadianglobalexplorationactivity(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mining
materials/exploration/8296)

Sources:SNLMetalsandMining.

DateModified:
20160407