Glossary of Terms

Airborne Survey

Geophysical or Geochemical Survey conducted from an aircraft.

AIS- Aquatic Invasive Species

An aquatic invasive species (AIS) can either live in freshwater or marine environments. Most of the species of concern to Manitoba, such as Zebra Mussels, Spiny Waterflea, Rusty Crayfish, Quagga Mussels and Xenocarps, are freshwater species.

AIS- Control Zones

Areas where specific regulatory measures are enforced to protect against potential environmental harm or the spread of invasive species.

AIS- Decontamination Order

A requirement to decontaminate for AIS where an inspector or officer may issue a written order described in subsection (2) of The Water Protection Act to a person who owns, operates, or possesses a conveyance or water-related equipment if the inspector or officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that.
(a) it contains or is carrying a member of an aquatic invasive species or a carrier; or
(b) it has been operated or used outside of Manitoba.

Area-Based

Area Based approach for Work Permit applications must clearly define areas of interest delineated by a polygon in a shapefile submitted with the application for approval. The intent of identifying an area is to assist in the review process while still providing flexibility in the application. The proposed approach must be approved by the permit office.

Best Management Practices (BMP)

are guidelines that help development projects meet necessary legislation, regulations, and policies, to help improve operations, and typically not written as enforceable.

Blasting

Use of explosives, regulated under Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act and Explosives Act of Canada.

Borehole

A hole drilled into the ground to explore for minerals or gather scientific data, excluding wells.

Centerline (Trail)

Often established in the field with flagging tape as a line digitized along the center of a linear geographic feature, such as a tail.

Claim

A parcel of Crown mineral land, that is staked out, acquired or held as a Claim for the purpose of mineral exploration and development.

Claim Posts

Markers placed at Claim corners, indicating ownership and necessary details.

Claim Reduction

Process to decrease Claim area size after initial staking, subject to specific procedures and requirements.

Claim Staking

Process of marking boundaries and posting Claim tags to establish exclusive mineral rights within a defined area.

Community Interest Zones (CIZ)

Defined areas for potential reserve creation under Treaty Land Entitlement, where community notification is required for mineral exploration activities.

Crown Land

Includes land, whether within or without the province, vested in the Crown, and includes “provincial lands” wherever that expression is used in an Act of the Legislature. In other words, Crown Land includes all lands within Manitoba vested in the Crown (Her Majesty the Queen in right of the province). This includes the beds of or land under most waterways (i.e., lakes, streams, and rivers), the land to the low tide mark on Hudson Bay and the ice surface of most frozen waterways.

Diamond Drilling

Uses diamond drill bits to take bedrock (core) samples for analysis

Early Mineral Exploration

A search for minerals through methods such as Prospecting, geological surveys, geophysical surveys, geochemical surveys, Trenching, stripping, drilling, or other methods. These exploration activities tend to be localized, temporary in nature, have low relative impact and are often naturally re-vegetating.

Exploration Camp (Temporary)

Are temporary in nature, used for purposes of mineral exploration and no other purpose, and less than one year in duration.

Geochemical Survey

Sampling of soil, vegetation, or rocks to analyze geochemical properties.

Geological Survey

Mapping rocks and features at a local or regional scale

Geophysical Survey

Testing physical properties of rocks, such as magnetism or conductivity.

Government of Manitoba Department(s)

Includes all Departments of the Government of Manitoba but does not include Crown Corporations (e.g., Manitoba Hydro).

Grassroots Prospecting

Minimal impact exploration activities to inform future targeted exploration, involving activities like geological mapping and surface Prospecting with hand tools.

Heritage Resources

Protected under the Manitoba Heritage Resources Act, includes archaeological, historic, and natural features

Hydro Settlement Agreement

Land transfers for adverse effects of hydroelectric development, generally prohibiting mineral exploration.

Industry Supervisor

The onsite project supervisor or geologist for mineral exploration.

Lease

A Mineral Lease or a quarry Lease or both but does not include a surface Lease.

Line Cutting

Preparing grids for mineral exploration or geophysical surveys on Crown lands, typically with minimal impact techniques.

Mineral Exploration Licence

A license issued for the purpose of exploring for minerals (excluding quarry minerals) on Crown mineral land specified under the licence

Mineral Exploration Licence (in Zones A and B

Issued for exploring minerals in specified Crown Land areas, with varying terms and conditions.

Mineral Lease

Issued to a holder of a recorded Claim or group of claims under the Mines and Minerals Act, required for mineral production after obtaining necessary approvals

Mineral Product

A product derived from mineral bearing substances processed in a mineral processing establishment of an operator including those mined, milled, smelted, refined, recrystallized, or otherwise beneficiated to a state suitable for:
a) sale to a person with whom the operator is dealing at arms length for further processing, or
b) fabrication by manufacturing, or
c) acceptance by the Royal Canadian Mint

Permit Office (PO)

Within the Business Development Services Unit, the Permit Office (PO) provides direct liaison between industry and subject matter experts for Mineral Exploration Activities and assists in navigating policy and legislative requirements while encouraging industry to meet Best Management Practices, if possible.

Proponent

For this BMP it is the person, company, or organization, who:
A. Is sponsoring or financing the mineral exploration project or.
B. Holds a mineral tenure.

Prospecting

The investigation of, or searching for, minerals by airborne or ground-based surveys; without use of heavy equipment.

Prospecting Licence

Required before applying for a mineral disposition, allowing initial exploration activities.

Provincial Parks

Areas categorized for recreational development and resource management, with restrictions on exploration and mining in certain zones.

Resource Management Boards

Boards overseeing resource management plans and applications within designated areas, involving government and Indigenous community representatives.

Rutting

This occurs when soil strength is not sufficient to support the applied load from vehicle or equipment traffic on unpaved forest roads and trails (access system). A rut is a depression made into the soil surface by the passage of a vehicle or equipment.

Seasonal Restrictions

Operational limitations as set out as guidelines on certain activities during specific times of the year to minimize environmental impact and ensure sustainability. In contexts such as environmental management, particularly in sectors like forestry mining, or mineral exploration Seasonal Restrictions aim to protect sensitive ecosystems or wildlife habitats during critical periods of the year.

Seismic Survey

Uses seismic waves to explore subsurface geology, conducted via ground-based, airborne, or Borehole methods.

Single Year Work Permit (SYWP):

Single Year Work permits can be issued for up to one (1) year in duration from the date that they are issued, or less if the activity ls of a shorter duration.

Subject Matter Experts (SME)

Identified members from various Branches and Departments who provide comments or recommendations on circulated Early Mineral Exploration work permit proposals or applications.

Surveyed Territory

Areas divided into legal subdivisions for Claim Staking, where claims must align with existing land surveys.

Trail (Ice)

A trail built on a frozen waterbody; no timber clearing is required to establish.

Trail (Re-established)

A trail that has typically been previously cleared and have some degree of soil compaction. A trail that has been or is being naturally reclaimed and that may or may not be easily identifiable. These roads may require some form of brushing or clearing (modification) to re-establish access but are still considered to be existing. These trails are often located in the most suitable topographical location, often used historically to access a mineral exploration property.

Trail (Seasonal)

Are gravel or dirt trails with minimal or no grading or ditching and that have no scheduled maintenance. They are generally seasonal in nature and may travel through swamp or wet ground to such an extent that truck access requires frost conditions for travel.

Trail (Winter Road)

A trail made by packing and scraping snow from the roadway when the ground and or lakes are frozen. Often for short term use but may be a permanent winter road.

Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE)

Crown Land selected or private land acquired by a First Nation under Treaty Land Entitlement Settlement Agreements, not available for mineral dispositions.

Trenching

Creating a narrow excavation below the surface of the ground.

Unsurveyed Territory

Areas not divided into legal subdivisions, with specific requirements for Claim shape and size.

Vehicle Inspection and Cleaning

Systematic procedures conducted to ensure that vehicles are free from potentially harmful contaminants before entering restricted or environmentally sensitive areas.

Water Body

Natural body of water means a river, stream, lake, or wetland historically present in a natural state but may have been physically altered over time.

Wildlife Management Areas

Areas where exploitative activities impacting wildlife require permits under Use of Wildlife Lands Regulation.

Wildlife Sensitivities

Pertain to the specific vulnerabilities and ecological requirements of wildlife species within a given area. In the context of permit applications, it involves the systematic evaluation of potential impacts on wildlife populations and habitats caused by proposed activities.

Work Permit Application

Application or work plan submitted for review of an Early Mineral Exploration proposal.

Work Permit, Multi-Year (MYWP)

Multi-Year Work permits can be issued for up to three years in duration from the date that they are issued, or less if the activity ls of a shorter duration, provided an assessment report confirms required work credits have been claimed to meet mineral tenure conditions (as set out in The Mines and Minerals Act).

Work Permit, Multi-Year Work (Renewal)

Multi-Year work permits can be renewed for up to an additional two (2) years, or less if the activity is of a shorter duration.

Work Permit, Single Year

See Single Year Work Permit (SYWP).

Work Permit, Single Year (SYWP) (Extension)

Single-Year work permits can be extended for up to an additional year, or less if the activity is of a shorter duration.