Bill 45: Mineral Resources Act

This bill directly affects anyone in New Brunswick who prospects for minerals, runs exploration programs, or operates a mine — from solo prospectors working with hand tools to small drilling crews and larger mining companies extracting metallic or non-metallic minerals. Day-to-day activities touched include registering and renewing mineral claims through an electronic registry, submitting assessment reports on exploration work, applying for exploration work permits before disturbing land, paying royalties and rent, and maintaining reclamation and rehabilitation plans. Mining companies holding leases face new obligations around reporting production stoppages, processing minerals domestically when economically feasible, and complying with orders that could require transferring or cancelling their mining rights in the name of protecting the strategic mineral supply chain. Businesses of all sizes are affected, but the compliance burden — particularly around required work commitments, environmental security deposits, and detailed record-keeping — falls most heavily on active mine operators and companies holding multiple mineral claims.