Measures Announced to Assist Mining, Mineral Exploration & Quarry Industries

The provincial government announced measures to assist the mining, mineral exploration and quarry industries in Newfoundland and Labrador during the COVID-19 global pandemic on Monday.

The rules which include deferring rental and fee payments and waiving mineral expenditure requirements for 2020 takes place 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.