Ontario legislators passed the act to amend the Mining Act, or Bill 173, on Oct. 21, enshrining into law a series of changes for prospectors, private land owners and First Nations people.
The bill incorporates Aboriginal consultation for mining legislation and regulations, as well as a dispute-resolution process for aboriginal-related issues.
Potential prospectors must also now undergo "awareness training" before obtaining a prospecting license. A map-staking system, long a bone of contention for various prospecting groups, has also been introduced by the new bill.
A series of consultations will soon begin between the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry and various stakeholders to develop the regulations that will govern these new processes.
The 27 metal mines located in Northern Ontario accounted for $6.6 billion of Ontario's $9.6 billion in mineral production in 2008.
.jpeg;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
