Services Offered by the MRNF and Its Partners

The Société du Plan Nord is the key body responsible for the deployment of the Government of Quebec’s 2023-2028 Northern Action Plan. It contributes to the sustainable development of the Quebec territory north of the 49^th parallel in accordance with the orientations defined by the government. It does so in consultation with representatives of the regions and First Nations concerned as well as the private sector. The Société du Plan Nord supports Quebec’s mining industry in many ways. In particular, it invests in the development or maintenance of strategic infrastructures, supports businesses and promoters of structuring projects, and contributes to workforce development. In this way, the Société du Plan Nord contributes to the emergence of the winning conditions to promote the integrated development of the northern territory and maximize the economic benefits from investments.

We are pleased to announce that the Mineral Exploration Support Program for Critical and Strategic Minerals has been renewed. A few adjustments have been made to facilitate the submission of applications. This presentation will provide an overview of the features of this program and assist you in determining its suitability for your exploration project.

In 2020, the government launched the Québec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals (PQVMCS) with the goal of making Quebec a world leader in the production, transformation and recycling of critical and strategic minerals (CSM). One of the plan's priority actions is to promote Quebec's mineral potential and attract foreign investment throughout the various stages of the CSM value chain. The government's active participation in various conferences, notably through panels and business meetings, has generated many positive spin-offs. This presentation will outline the government's initiatives to promote mineral potential and mining projects in Quebec, as well as the impact of these initiatives on the mining sector.

This conference will present strategic directions for planning geoscientific knowledge acquisition work by Géologie Québec and some selected examples of project results. The choice of territories and projects is based on two main themes: 1) government priorities and the Québec Plan for the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020-2025 (QDPCSM); 2) customer needs. Airborne geological and geophysical surveys, conducted in priority areas, form the pillars of annual programming. More recently, metallogenic studies (Li, ETR, Ni-Cu, Ti-V-P, regional syntheses) have been added in connection with the QDPCSM, high-density lake bottom surveys and field laboratories to analyze the petrophysical properties of samples collected. (density, magnetic susceptibility, pXRF).

Quebec has developed the SIGÉOM geomining information system, which contains geoscientific information collected for over a century by the mining industry and the ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts (MRNF). A quick overview of the SIGÉOM as well as key new developments, including web publications and the interactive map, will be presented.

The exploration properties layer is a new information layer available on the SIGÉOM interactive map. It displays known mineral exploration activities carried out by public companies in Quebec. Properties can be identified by the claims associated with them, and information provided by the companies promoting them.

This layer seeks to reflect, as much as possible, the main characteristics of the properties published by the companies on their websites and in the documents available on distribution platforms such as SEDAR+. The aim of this presentation is to explain the functionalities of this new information layer and to give some examples of its use in the search, identification and characterization of properties for various types of users.

Join us for an informative 15-minute conference on Authorizations for Impact-Causing Exploration Work (ATI), followed by a 5-minute Q&A session. After six months of ATI implementation, we will review what is appreciated in the host community and explore opportunities for improvement. This session will highlight crucial points for optimizing ATI applications, including the change in format for the exchange report, which is essential for reducing processing times. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and discuss practices that will facilitate your exploration projects. Participate in the discussion and help contribute to greater efficiency in the ATI process!