End of an era in BC

Nov. 30 was the last day to stake a mining claim in British Columbia. After January 2005, all mining properties will be acquired online via the Internet.

The physical staking of a mining claim embodies the essence of mineral exploration, going back to the first discovery of gold in British Columbia on the Fraser River, near Yale, in the 1850s and the subsequent Cariboo Gold Rush. Miners have relied on their ability to stake a claim at the time of discovery to secure their rights.

Historically, prospectors would often be in the bush for months at a time; if they made a discovery, they needed a way to prove their right to the area. The claim allowed for a way to regulate (and tax) the often unruly behaviour of miners and prospectors, most of whom arrived from the California gold fields.

As the mining industry in British Columbia evolved, the act of staking a claim continued to represent a cornerstone of the exploration process.

Even today in the province, and in many other regions of Canada, staking is still done much in the same way as it was a hundred years ago. In many ways, the act of staking a claim represents a vestige of the age of exploration and discovery.

In British Columbia, a claim is staked by establishing what is known as a Legal Corner Post, identified with a metal tag. The tag shows the staker’s name, the date and time started, and the time completed. This tag is either nailed to a squared-off tree or placed inside a rock cairn. Then the boundary of the claim needs to be marked off and corner posts placed at each of the other three corners. Alternatively, a smaller claim called a 2-post claim can be made using two posts — an initial and a final post placed up to 1,500 ft. from each other. Once the claim is completed, the mining rights belong to the staker.

The staker then has 20 days in which to file the claim with the mining recorder, after which it is officially recorded and the location shown on a claim map.

Once a discovery is made, the completion is often fierce, and a staking rush may ensue. Several times in this province, there have been staking rushes in which hundreds of prospectors rushed out to stake whatever claims they could. The last big rush in British Columbia occurred in the late 1980s, when the Eskay Creek Gold mine was discovered. During this rush, more than 100 hundred junior mining companies flocked into the area, spending millions on additional exploration.

— Who can stake a claim? — Any citizen with a valid Free Miners Licence can stake a claim in British Columbia. You must also be at least 18 years old.

The term “Free Miner” dates back to England more than 700 years ago, when miners were rewarded for their services in battle with the “right” established by royal decree to mine anywhere in the land without hinderance. This meant they could move around freely; it also served as the basis for the eventual taxation and regulation of the iron and coal mines. The mining laws in British Columbia were drawn from essentially the same laws governing English mining.

What is changing? Nov. 30 served as the last day to stake a claim in the traditional manner. Henceforth, all claims will be done by selecting the desired area on Internet via a government web site by clicking on the area and simply paying an online fee.

There are several arguments in favour of online staking:

— the process is easier to administer and fewer government staff are needed;

— disputed claims can be eliminated (theoretically);

— it is another means of collecting fees;

— competition for larger mining companies is reduced;

— a cheap way to acquire land;

— online staking allows well-funded companies to monopolize large tracts of land;

— more money is spent investigating the properties

Some of the reasons online staking has faced strong opposition are as follows:

— the process has resulted in a loss of jobs for prospectors and those who rely on money from contract staking;

— a less competitive environment is created;

— discoveries are not made by people sitting at desks;

— more discoveries are made by juniors than by large companies; online staking favours the majors.

— The author is a self-employed geologist and prospector in British Columbia. He is one of several partners in Hunter Exploration, a private enterprise based in the province.