2015-2016Nova Scotia Mineral Incentive Program

Prospector Grant

Information for Prospector Grant Contribution

What is a Prospector Grant?

A Prospector Grant:

  • Can be applied for by registered prospectors in Nova Scotia.
  • Provides up to $15,000 for grass-roots mineral exploration activities within limits defined herein. Prospectors/ are allowed to apply for more than one grant, but you can only have one grant on an Exploration License. A grant may be applied to several exploration properties provided all properties are under licence to the applicant and that the work to be done on each property is described separately on the application form. The Exploration License number(s) and issuance/ expiry dates are required on applications.
  • Is intended to help prospectors carry out grass-roots exploration activitiesin order to find economically viable mineral resources in Nova Scotia.

Who is eligible to apply?

  • Eligible applicants must be holders, or in a registered agreement with the holder, of active licences under the Mineral Resources Act. Where the applicant is not the licensee the applicant must demonstrate that Summary of Agreement(s) have been registered with the Registry of Mineral & Petroleum Titles that clearly indicates that the applicant has valid exploration agreement(s) in place with the respective licence holder(s).
  • NSMIP applicants for active licence(s) held by a company (non-living individual) must be the registered signing officer or registered agent that is recorded in the online registry system calledNovaROC.or in the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies (NSRJSC) asRegistered agents may be required to have agency for Reporting of Assessment Work and filing of required Permits (drilling notification, excavation registration, etc.) that is required to support the planned work.
  • Where the applicant is not a registered agent (as defined above) but is a living individual who is signing on behalf of the licence holder(s), the applicant is required to submit written authorization(s) from the right holder(s).
  • The applicant has to have fulfilled all commitments for any previous grants from the NSMIP and the right holder is expected to adhere to the Mineral Resources Act and Regulations.

What work iseligible?

NOTE: All costs over $5,000 require three quotes unless sole-source contracting is necessary and approved by the NSMIP Project Coordinatorprior to work being initiated. If requesting sole-source contracting please include the reason for choosing the contractor.

Eligible work on valid claims held by the applicant includes, but is not limited to:

  • Analytical costs from laboratories.
  • Trenching, drilling and blasting contractor fees, as long as the work will be carried out by contractors certified with the Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association and the proposed work is pre-approved by the NSMIP Project Coordinator.
  • Rental of sampling, geophysical or other surveying equipment from non-affiliated parties.
  • Pre-approved professional services from geophysical, geochemical, mineral processing or geological contractors. The maximum daily rate allowed is $500/ day to a maximum of 20% of the grant total for geological contractors.
  • Reasonable costs incurred for community or Aboriginal engagement. This can include professional services to hire a consultant to setup/ host the event. If the proposed cost of the engagement is over $1,000, please submit a breakdown of those costs in your application.
  • Any other expenses related to the application of exploration tools/techniques used to explore the claim(s) may also be eligible provided they are applied for and approved by the NSMIP Project Coordinator before work is initiated.
  • 10% of total expenditures may be used for administration and miscellaneous expenses for which no receipts are necessary, including any transportation costs incurred under the grantare to be included under overhead expenses.
  • One-time-only capital expenditures may be permitted, upon submission of receipts (unless purchased usingprevious NSMIP funding),for:
  1. The cost of a Global Position System device, up to a maximum of $250.
  2. The cost of a safety location device (e.g. SPOT Satellite Locater), up to a maximum of $150.
  3. The annual subscription fee for the safety location device, up to a maximum of $100.
  4. The cost of a first aid kit, up to a maximum of $100.
  5. 100% of the cost of a Red Cross or St. John’s Ambulance Standard-Level First-Aid Course.

What work isnot eligible?

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Accommodationand meals.
  • Vehicle rental(s) and field camp rental(s).
  • Wage(s) of applicant(s) or anyone with a vested interest in the property.
  • Wages of assistants unless previously approved by the NSMIP Project Coordinator.

How do I apply?

Applications must be submitted using the fillable form provided at that asks for the following information:

  • Contact information.
  • Prospecting experience.
  • Project/property name and location.Details of any agreements with outside parties that have a vested interest in the property are to be submitted with the application.
  • A short description of work done previously on the property by those other than the applicant and a short description of work done previously by the applicant.
  • The geological merit of the proposal, including whether the exploration plan is well conceived, innovative and likely to achieve a successful result.
  • A list of proposed activities and budget forecast. Please note that some expenditures are ineligible (this information is noted earlier).

Your completed application(s) must be sent by e-mail and received no later than 4:00 pm on Wednesday, June 3rdth, 2015 by Mick O’Neill, the NSMIP Project Coordinatorat only. Applications or additional information received after this deadline will not be considered in the application review.If the NSMIP Project Coordinator has noted a technical error with the application and requires further clarification, the applicant has five days from the date and time on the e-mail was received to provide this information. A non-response to the request within the five days will terminate further review of the application.

Our e-mail accounts can receive 30MB of data per e-mail and if your application and data exceeds this please send multiple e-mails.

How will applications be evaluated?

The applications will be evaluated by the Mineral Incentive Program Review and Evaluation Committee based on:

  • The quality and merit of the proposal.
  • The potentialof the work being proposed to effectively make new mineral discoveries, or to advance knowledgeand marketability of a known, existing mineral occurrence.
  • The applicant’s prospecting experience in order to ascertain if the individual is capable of carrying out the project.

How will I be notified?

  • Unsuccessful applicants will receive a letter stating that their project has not been approved for funding. If you require information on why your application was not successful, you may contact the NSMIP Project Coordinator by e-mail.
  • Successful applicants will receive a letter stating that their project has been approved for funding. The letter will listthe total grant awarded and the allowableexpenditures.

How willfunds be disbursed?

  • A first payment of 75% of the approved grant amount will be issued to the applicant on notification of a successful application. Unspent funds at the completion of a project can be reallocated at the discretion of the NSMIP Project Coordinator in consultation with the NSMIP Review and Evaluation Committee.
  • A final payment for the balance of the approved grant will be issued when the final report, expense statement, paid receipts and digital data obtained using NSMIP funds have been received and approved by the NSMIP Project Coordinator.

Can funding be withdrawn?

If the NSMIP ProjectCoordinator,in consultation with the NSMIP Review and Evaluation Committee, perceives clear evidence that the project is not going to proceed, then the funding may be withdrawn. The grantee may be required to attend a meeting with NSMIP committee members to explain delays in the project.

What are the reporting requirements?

Interim report:

  • Successful applicants are required to submit an Interim Report to the NSMIP Project Coordinatorat 4:00 pm September14th, 2015. The 2015-2016 NSMIP Interim Report form will now be a one page online pdf fillable form, availableby September in the Fall on our NSMIP website.

Final report:

  • Applicants will submit a Final Report describing the work carried using the format outlined in the Nova Scotia Mineral Resource Regulations for the reporting of activities on mineral properties for assessment to the co-ordinator of the NSMIP by the required date.
  • In addition to filing a Final Report to the co-ordinator of the NSMIP, the applicant is required to either file an assessment report(s) and expenditures through the NovaROC system, or forward the final reports to the right holder(s) for filing through the NovaROC system.
  • In the Claims section of the Final Report, please list the claims as applied for in the application, not what the current claim holdings are.
  • The Final Report must include a clear statement of only eligible NSMIP costs and receipts totaling 100% of grant funding. We require official receipts from vendors confirming payment of invoices directly related to the costs incurred. The invoices have to show a zero balance (paid in full).
  • The locations of all samples analyzed, trenches, drillholes and other exploratory work that pertains to the grant be provided in an acceptable digital format (e.g. Microsoft Excel) using UTM NAD 83 projection coordinates.
  • The results of any surveys (e.g. geochemical, geophysical or lidar) carried out as part of the grant must be included in the report as digital data and the data associated with these surveys must be provided in an acceptable digital format and georeferenced to NAD 83 projection.
  • The Final Report and all data collected are to be submitted digitally no later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday February 16th, 2016.
  • All data must be conveyed electronically as PDF files only. The Final Report, Expense Statement, any digital data obtained using NSMIP funds and scanned receipts are to be sent to the NSMIP Project Coordinatorat . Receipt of the Final Report and any additional data will be confirmed by the NSMIP Project Coordinator.

Notes:

  • Any changes to the proposed budget or work proposal must be submitted by e-mail to the NSMIP Project Coordinator,and the Coordinator’s approval received by e-mail. Failure to do so will mean work related to those changes will not qualify for re-imbursement.

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