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The Department has established terms and conditions of eligibility
for mineral exploration in the Norebec-Manitou, Lacs Guillaume-Delisle
and à l’Eau Claire, Rivière Témiscamie,
Monts Otish and Monts Puvirnituq reserves.
Any legally incorporated mining
company may be authorized to carry out exploration on lands
reserved to the State. Furthermore, all mineral substances
are eligible, with the exception of:
- in the Norebec-Manitou reserve
- hydrocarbons, peat, mine tailings and surface mineral substances;
- in the Lacs Guillaume and à l’Eau Claire,
Rivière Témiscamie, Monts Otish and Monts Puvirnituq
reserves
- hydrocarbons, placers, sand and gravel, stone used as construction
material and peat.
Duration of mining exploration work
The duration of mining exploration work on the
reserved land may not exceed July 7, 2009. After four
years, a committee will evaluate the work carried out. Any land
not covered by a mining right may be withdrawn from mining activities,
and appointed as park. On the expiry of July 7, 2009,
all claims that do not present significant mineral potential will
have to be abandoned by the claim holder without any form of compensation.
However, areas presenting significant mineral potential
will be excluded from the land reserved to the State, and the mining
companies concerned will be authorized to continue their development
work. Only claims with inferred mineral resources will be recognized
as having significant mineral potential by the Department, following
an examination of a complete geological report and a preliminary
evaluation of the mineral and economic potential of the claims making
up the mining property. The Department will base its examination
on the definitions of the Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.
Mining exploration activities
In principle, all mining exploration activities
will be permitted on land reserved to the State. However, the activities
will be subjected to conditions and requirements concerning the
type of work carried out.
Additional requirements
For the Lacs Guillaume-Delisle
and à l’Eau Claire, Rivière
Témiscamie, Monts Otish and Monts Puvirnituq
reserves, fieldwork likely to impact the environment
such as stripping, trenching, excavation, drilling,
logging, bulk sampling, line cutting and storage,
shall be the object of a pre-project environmental
study. This study must be approved
by the Minister of Natural Resources
and Wildlife before the work starts.
It must include:
- a wildlife inventory identifying any threatened or vulnerable
species of fauna on the exploration sites;
- a plantlife inventory identifying any threatened or vulnerable
species of flora on the exploration sites;
- an analysis of the regional archaeological and historical context,
establishing a link with the exploration sites;
- a review of the literature detailing the regional context of
flora, fauna, rare, threatened or vulnerable species, exceptional
ecosystems and fragile environments;
- a list identifying all exceptional ecosystems and fragile environments
on the exploration sites;
- an evaluation of anticipated environmental impacts;
- recommendations, with mitigation and protective measures.
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