Minister Coady Announces Measures to Assist the Mining, Mineral Exploration and Quarry Industries

  • Natural Resources

June 8, 2020

Today, the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources, announced measures to assist the mining, mineral exploration and quarry industries in Newfoundland and Labrador during the COVID-19 global pandemic, including deferring rental and fee payments and waiving mineral expenditure requirements for 2020.

Effective immediately, the following measures are in place:

  • Deferral of rental and fee payments associated with land tenure issued under the Mineral Act and Quarry Materials Act until December 31, 2020. The date range to be qualified for deferral is March 18, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Items being deferred include mining and surface lease rentals, mineral licence renewal fees, application and reapplication fees and rentals for quarry permits, quarry lease rental, and hectarage fees for quarry materials exploration licence applications.
  • Waiver of water use charge payments for 2019 related to mineral exploration.
  • Waiver of mineral assessment expenditure requirements for mineral licences for one year – from March 18, 2020 to March 17, 2021.

At this time, government has also launched a new Mineral Lands Administration Portal (MinLAP) to help ensure a seamless regulatory process for mineral exploration companies and prospectors.

Government is continuing with its Mineral Incentive Program, providing $1.7 million in financial assistance and training to support and encourage mineral exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador. The program includes junior exploration assistance and prospector assistance.

More information on MinLAP and the Mineral Incentive Program is in the backgrounder below.

As outlined in Mining the Future 2030, the Provincial Government is committed to supporting the mining and mineral exploration industries in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as the quarry industry, and is doing everything possible to help them make a full recovery from the unpredictable global downturn caused by the pandemic.

Mining, mineral exploration and quarrying are important industries for the province. With almost $4.3 billion in mineral shipments, over $48.6 million in exploration expenditures, and a quarry industry valued at nearly $30 million with greater than 5 million tonnes in quarry production in 2019, employment exceeds nearly 7,000 people. These industries create opportunities for local businesses, and increase the province’s ability to invest in programs, infrastructure, education and health care.

Quotes
“We have had many conversations with our mining industry to determine their needs and assist with continuing operations. Measures announced today will assist our mining, mineral exploration and quarry industries to weather this pandemic and continue to be a major economic contributor to our province.”
Honourable Siobhan Coady
Minister of Natural Resources

“Mining Industry NL is fully appreciative of these measures to support our industry as we navigate through these unprecedented times. Mineral exploration and mining are integral to Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, and the province’s mineral endowment is a key sustainable source of wealth for long-term recovery. Public investments in geoscience, the Mineral Incentive Program and an ongoing collaborative dialogue between government and industry to improve regulatory processes best positions the province to attract private investment into the sector and compete with other jurisdictions around the world.”
Heather Bruce-Veitch
Chair, Mining Industry NL

Learn More

Mining the Future 2030 – A Plan for Growth in the Newfoundland and Labrador Mining Industry

Mineral Lands Administration Portal

Mineral Lands Administration Portal Online Demonstration

Mineral Incentive Program

Junior Exploration Assistance 2019-20 Recipients

Prospector Assistance Grant 2019-20 Recipients

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @NR_GovNL

Media Contacts
Lisa Lawlor
Natural Resources
709-631-8155
lisalawlor@gov.nl.ca

Ed Moriarity
Mining Industry NL
709-722-9542
edmoriarity@miningnl.com

BACKGROUNDER

Information on Supports for the Mining Industry

Mineral Lands Administration Portal (MinLAP)

The new Mineral Lands Administration Portal (MinLAP) is a modern system that provides a reliable legislated service to industry and will help ensure a seamless regulatory process for mineral exploration companies and prospectors.

The new portal is user-friendly and will be used to administer existing mineral licences issued under the Mineral Act and for staking of new mineral licences. The MinLAP system has many features that will benefit users, such as:

  • Submission of mineral assessment reports with feedback functionality;
  • Auto reminders for clients to take action on licence renewal anniversary dates; and,
  • A streamlined, more efficient approval process for things such as licence issuance, licence renewal, licence grouping and splitting.

An online demonstration of how to use the new MinLAP system can be found here.

Mineral Incentive Program

Government continues to provide financial assistance and training through $1.7 million for the Mineral Incentive Program, to support and encourage mineral exploration in Newfoundland and Labrador. The program includes Junior Exploration Assistance and Prospector Assistance.

Junior Exploration Assistance has a budget of $1.3 million and aims to grow the mineral inventory of the province through the discovery of new mineral districts, occurrences, prospects and deposits. A list of the 2019-20 recipients is here.

Prospector Assistance has a budget of $400,000 and provides training and direct financial support to individuals who want to conduct mineral exploration in the province. A list of the 2019-20 recipients is here.

2020 06 08 11:09 am