Licence and regulations
A Metallic and Industrial Mineral Licence is required to produce provincially owned gold and other placer minerals from sand and gravel deposits, learn more with the placer mining tool kit. Placer mining is legislated under the Metallic and Industrial Minerals Regulation and the Metallic and Industrial Minerals Royalty Regulation. It is regulated by the Alberta Energy Regulator, depending on the type of mineral, mining activities and reclamation are subject to approval through Environment and Parks. Environmental management is an important part of developing, running and closing down a mine. Mining companies develop and carry out plans to minimize impacts on air, land, water and wildlife. Companies use a variety of techniques to reclaim mined lands.
Exploring for minerals
Exploring for Minerals in Alberta explains prospecting in Alberta, limited prospecting is permitted without staking a claim or obtaining a mineral agreement. Staking is recommended for those who want exclusive rights to explore on a particular piece of land for metallic and industrial minerals owned by the Province. Alberta uses an application for agreement process rather than physical claim-staking to secure these Crown mineral rights for exploration, more information can be found in the prospecting toolkit.
Contact
Connect with the Coal and Mineral Development Unit:
Hours: 8:15 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-7707
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: cmd.energy@gov.ab.ca
Edmonton
Address:
Alberta Energy
Coal and Mineral Development Unit
North Petroleum Plaza
9945 108 Street *
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G6
* Couriers, please report to the 2nd floor.
Calgary (drop-off location only)
Address:
Alberta Energy
300, 801 6 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 3W2