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Applications, Giving Notice and Reporting

For Placer Miners in BC

I am not an expert on mining law - I am just trying to help. Use the information in this website at your own risk. See the Notice at the bottom of this page.

Note: You DO NOT use the government's MTO (Mineral Titles Online) mapping applications for applications and reporting (especially for a NOW - Notice Of Work - to apply for a permit for machine digging). Instead, you use iMapBC to make maps.

iMapBC Reference Guide

Mines Act Permit Application
iMapBC Maps and Data Creation
Reference Guide

Downloading and Using the Template File
for a NOW - Notice of Work - to get a Mines Act permit

    Download the Template File
To download the Template File, go to the government's NOW page Links and click on...

Mines Act Permit Application - iMapBC Project File Template

    Start Up iMapBC
Go to the iMapBC page, and scroll down to the Applications section. You can click on either...
  Launch iMapBC
  Launch iMapBC (Username required)
If the first link doesn't work, you can use the second link and and log in using your BCeID and password.

    You Load the Template File
In iMapBC, click on I want to..., and then click either Open or Load to open the Template File. You will have to click "OK" on box that says:

"Uploading a new project will overwrite the currently shown content. Continue?".

Some Notices and Reporting Before Doing Work

• A Notice of Work (NOW) to get a Mines Act Permit (also knows as a Reclamation Permit), usually so you can do machine digging, or use equipment for washing paydirt other than a gold pan or a simple sluice box or highbanker.

  It is a FrontCounterBC online application. You have to provide a lot of information, including uploading maps and location data.

  For information on what is required, and to start a NOW application, see the government's Notice of Work page. See above to download a map project template file.

  Small-scale hand mining that will disturb very little ground, and that disturbed ground will be reclaimed, does not require a permit and you do not have to submit a NOW.

  The standard practice (which is a little different than what it says in Section 10 of the Mines Act) is that an operation must apply for a NOW if it involves:

  • machine digging
  • using equipment with moving parts "driven by mechanical means" (not including a water pump)
  • disturbing more than a small amount of ground
  • building a road
  or requires a permit or licence for:
  • cutting trees
  • drawing water
  For more information, see the Machine Digging page.

• Landowner Notification Section 19 of the Mineral Tenure Act, available on the Legislation page, requires a person to notify landowners before entering private land for any mining activity. The Landowner Notification page has links to Legislation, Information, Procedures and Forms. It is reached from the Forms: Mineral & Placer Titles page.

Some Notices and Reporting After Doing Work

• A placer claim is maintained (renewed for another year) by either registering and then reporting work done on the claim, or paying cash instead. See the Maintaining Claims page for details.

For Machine Digging and Larger Operations...

• If a NOW - Notice Of Work was submitted for work on a placer claim, (See above), at the end of the season, you submit...
  • Annual Summary For Placer Activities
  • and probably an Annual Reclamation Summary.
  See...
  • Annual Reporting Forms
  • Annual Reclamation Report

Getting your Reclamation Bond Back

You may want to send a letter that makes this clear.

Notices

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