Simplified Report Handbook, a guide for Nunavut prospectors

How to complete and file simplified reports for work done on mineral claims on Crown land.

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Exploration and mining activities in Nunavut offer economic opportunities for both companies and local prospectors. For this reason, it is important that both prospectors and exploration and mining companies be knowledgeable about how to properly maintain their mineral claims in Nunavut under the Nunavut Mining Regulations (NMR).

This handbook summarizes the requirements of Section 42 and Schedule 2 of the NMR, in plain language, for preparing and submitting a simplified report. However, report authors should also refer to the regulations directly.

You can contact the Nunavut Mining Recorder's Office for any questions related to interpretation of the regulations.

A sample of an approved simplified report is available upon request by emailing minerauxnu-mineralsnu@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca.

Simplified report description

Simplified reports are submitted under the requirements set out in the NMR S.42 (1), S.42(4) and Part 2 of Schedule 2, S.17. These reports may only include the following types of work:

The total cost of work for a simplified report must be less than $20,000.

Why simplified reports are submitted

When a claim is recorded on Crown land, work to assess the mineral potential of that claim must be completed in order for its owner to keep the claim in good standing.

When you do work on your claim, you are required to report:

Once your simplified report is approved, you are able to hold your mineral claim for another year, until the claim's next anniversary date. If the required work is not completed, your claim may lapse.

Section 15 and paragraph 39(1) of the NMR outline the duration of a claim and work requirements to maintain them in good standing. Claims may be held for up to 30 years, unless they are cancelled or taken to lease.

Review process for simplified reports

All simplified reports submitted to the Nunavut Mining Recorder's Office of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) are reviewed by a geologist.

The geologist uses Schedule 2 of the NMR to determine if the full cost of work set out in the report will be approved.

Expenditures submitted as part of the report must meet the definition of ‘cost of work' in NMR section 1 (1). If you have submitted expenses which do not qualify as ‘work', they will have to be deducted from the total expenditures. If your report is approved for less than the required annual amount of work, you may need to pay a deposit equal to the difference or risk your claim(s) being cancelled.

The reviewing geologist will contact you if parts of your report are not in compliance with the regulations, or do not meet the requirements set out in Schedule 2, and you will have the opportunity to submit revisions to the report.

Once the report is in compliance and has been approved by the reviewing geologist, it is returned to the Mining Recorder so that the total cost of work approved can be applied to the claims.

Deadline for submitting a simplified report

Including the date on which your claim is recorded (its anniversary date), you have 2 years plus 120 days to submit your first simplified report for that claim. You can verify your claim's anniversary date using the Nunavut Map Selection system or the Nunavut Map Viewer, or you can contact the Mining Recorder's Office for assistance.

After the first 2 year period, simplified reports are due every subsequent year no later than 119 days after the claim's anniversary date.

If excess costs of work have been allocated to the claim, the report is due no later than 119 days after the anniversary date in the year to which the costs of work approved in your last report advanced the claim.

Example of a simplified report timeline:

If you will be unable to meet your reporting deadline, contact the Mining Recorder's Office immediately for assistance. If your report is not received by the deadline, and you have not requested an extension, your claim will be cancelled.

Amount of work required

For each claim you hold, you must show that you have done a minimum amount of work per unit, or partial unit, per year, as required in subsection 39(1) of the regulations.

If the first report covers 2 years, it must demonstrate at least $135 of work per unit or partial unit ($45 for the first year and $90 for the second year). After the expenses are submitted with the report, and have been reviewed and approved by a geologist, credit for the work done will be applied to the claim by the Mining Recorder, and the claim will remain active for a third year.

The work requirement for a claim increases over time, as specified in subsection 39(1). A claim can be held for a maximum of 30 years, plus any extensions granted under paragraph 51(6)(a) or subparagraph 67(4)(c) of the regulations. Work requirements for maintaining your claim(s) are as follows:

If you hold more than 1 claim, you need to ensure that enough work has been done on each claim to maintain your tenure. An exception to this is grouping, which is discussed below.

If the work approved per unit for your claim is more than the work requirement for a single year, the excess credit will be applied to the following year or years' work requirement.

Example:

Your claim of 10 units in size is recorded on April 3, 2024. This claim requires at least $450 worth of work in the first year (10 units x $45/unit) and at least $900 worth of work (10 units x $90/unit) in each of the second, third, and fourth years.

In March of 2026, you submit your first simplified report, which is approved for the amount of $1,500. This is more than the minimum required amount of work for the claim, of $450 total for the first year, and $900 for the second year, totalling $1,350.

The work you did on this claim is used to advance it to April 3, 2027. The remaining $150 is reserved as "excess credit", which can be applied as work to the next year for which work is required. For this 10-unit claim, you will have to spend a minimum of $750 on new work to meet the minimum work requirement of $900 for the third year. You will have until July 31, 2027 to submit your next simplified report.

You must include details of your expenditures for the project with your report. Instructions about how to set up your table or spreadsheet can be found in the Statement of Expenditures template, available here: Statement of Expenditures template (MS Excel, 21 KB). Schedule 2 of the NMR can be accessed at Nunavut Mining Regulations (SOR/2014-69).

Grouping your claims

Grouping allows work that was done on one claim to be applied to an adjacent claim or claims. Usually this is done to distribute assessment credit to claims which did not have sufficient work done to meet the requirements. Grouping of claims is described in the NMR under sections 45 and 46.

In order to be grouped, at least one unit in each claim must share a boundary with at least one unit in another of the claims being grouped. Claims that only share a corner are not eligible to be grouped. The total area of the grouped claims may not exceed 400 units, and a group may not include leased claims. Note that the process does not combine grouped claims into one larger claim.

If you want to group claims, you must submit the request and fees for grouping through the Nunavut Map Selection system.

Example of grouping your claims:

Help with completing your simplified report

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Questions about Nunavut Map Selection or other regulation-related questions:

Nunavut Mining Recorder
918 Nunavut Drive
Iqaluit, NU X0A 3H0
Phone: (867) 975-4281
Fax: (867) 975-4286
registraireminierscn-miningrecordersnms@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Questions about report preparation or other technical or geological help:

District Geologist
918 Nunavut Drive
Iqaluit, NU X0A 3H0
Phone: (867) 975-4291 or (867) 975-4292
Fax: (867) 975-4276
minerauxnu-mineralsnu@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Questions related to the Introduction to Prospecting course, or the Nunavut Prospectors' Program

Mining Awareness Coordinator

Department of Economic Development and Transportation, Government of Nunavut

PO Box 120
Arviat, NU X0C 0E0
Phone: (867) 857-3164
minerals@gov.nu.ca

How to submit your simplified report

When you have completed your simplified report, you may submit it to the Mining Recorder as:

You will need to mail your report to the following address:

Mining Recorder's Office
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
918 Nunavut Drive
Iqaluit, NU X0A 3H0
Phone: 867-975-4275
Fax: 867-975-4286

Statements of work, applications to group, grouping fee payments, and other related processes can be handled online through the Nunavut Map Selection system.

If you are in Iqaluit and want to submit your simplified report and pay any required fees in person, the Mining Recorder's Office is located at 918 Nunavut Drive.

Writing your report: simplified report template

You must submit your report either typed in hard copy or as an electronic version, in either English or French. Handwritten reports will not be accepted by the Mining Recorder.

We recommend using this format, but simplified reports do not need to follow this exact structure. This template is intended as an example only.

Organizing your report

Your report should include the following sections:

  • Cover page
  • Table of contents
  • Summary of the report
  • Introduction
    • location and access
    • climate and physiography (optional)
    • exploration history
    • claim groupings (if any)
  • Work performed
    • prospecting
    • sampling
  • Results
  • Plans for follow-up work
  • Statement of qualifications
  • References
  • Appendices
    • Appendix 1 – list of personnel
    • Appendix 2 – statement of expenditures
    • Appendix 3 – sample descriptions and locations
    • Appendix 4 – sample results and processing methods
  • Table listing mineral claims
  • List of figures
    • Figure 1 – general locations map
    • Figure 2 – claim location map
    • Figure 3 – sample locations
    • Figure 4 – sample results

Formatting your cover page

Your cover page must include the following information :

  • your project's name
  • a statement of the type of work conducted and of the mineral(s) sought
    • For example: "prospecting and sampling for gold"
  • the name of the holder(s) of the claim(s)
  • a list of the claims covered by the report, including each claim's number and any name associated with it
  • the number of each National Topographic System (NTS) sheet or sheets that shows the lands covered by the claim(s)
    • for example: "55L/8"
  • the maximum and minimum northing and easting Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, or the maximum and minimum latitude and longitude of the lands covered by the claim(s)
  • the geographic name of the region that contains each claim
    • for example: Kivalliq region – Nunavut Territory
  • the words "Work period", followed by dates specifying the start and end dates of periods when work was performed
    • for example: "July 6 to July 13, 2024 and August 10 to August 14, 2024"
  • the words "Prepared by" and the name of the person who prepared the report
  • the words "Date report submitted:" followed by the submission date

Writing your summary

Provide a brief summary of the work done on your claim(s), any significant results, and whether or not you think further work is warranted.

The summary should include the following information but doesn't need to be longer than 1-2 paragraphs:

  • the number of claims worked, and their location(s)
  • the time period during which the work was conducted
  • the type(s) of work conducted
  • the mineral(s) being sought
  • the number of people involved in the work

1. Introduction

Include the following information:

  • the type(s) of work completed
  • the mineral(s) being sought
  • the claim number(s), and name(s) if any, on which the work was performed
  • where the work took place
    • for example: "75 km northwest of Kimmirut", or "in the southwestern Kivalliq"
  • the dates between which the work was completed
    • for example: July 1 to July 31, 2021

Provide a map showing the location of the claim(s) being reported on, and of any other claims, leased claims, or prospecting permits which are adjacent to the claims on which the work was done.

1.1 Location and access

Provide the location of the claim(s) in relation to the nearest communities or commonly known geographic points, such as DEW Line sites or hunting lodges.

Describe how access to the field area was achieved, such as float plane, helicopter, boat, or ATV. Refer to freeze/thaw periods if relevant. If your camp was re-supplied with food, fuel or other consumables, state how this was achieved, for example by plane, helicopter or boat.

1.2 Climate and physiography (optional)

Describe the general setting of the field area, based on your own knowledge and experience, and/or from sources such as Environment and Climate Change Canada. For example:

  • Is the field area an arctic or subarctic climate? What are the usual winter and summer temperature ranges?
  • What are the average amount(s) and type(s) of precipitation (available from websites such as Environment and Climate Change Canada or estimates through your own knowledge of the area)?
  • What is the approximate timing of ice break-up/thaw and freeze-up?
  • What are the usual wind and weather conditions for the period during which the work was conducted?

Describe the landscape of the area, for example "flat tundra with some rock outcrops", "boulder field with occasional outcrops", or "steep bedrock hills". List any notable topographic features such as lakes, rivers, cliffs, mountains, eskers, or other features. Include their elevations, available from National Topographic System of Canada (NTS) topographic maps, if this information is relevant to the work done.

Indicate if lakes in the field area appear to be aligned in a particular orientation, for example northeast-southwest.

Describe the vegetation found in the area such as willows, heather, moss, grasses, flowering plants or berries. Indicate which types of vegetation are common and which are rare. Estimate the percentage of outcrop versus vegetation cover versus till cover for the area.

1.3 Exploration history

Summarize previous work done by any companies or prospectors in the field area, with references to their work reports, and briefly describe their findings.

This may require obtaining publicly released information from reports that are accessible through CIRNAC's geology archives.

You may also wish to consult the Nunavut Mineral Occurrence Database (NUMIN) or email minerauxnu-mineralsnu@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca. If you need assistance with this portion of the report, you can contact the geologists of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada via this email..

This information may be best summarized in a table including the name of each company or prospector, when the work was conducted and the type(s) of work conducted, such as prospecting, sampling or excavation, and a brief list of the results of those programs.

1.4 Claim groupings (if any)

If you are grouping claims, indicate in a table which claims are to be grouped.

2. Work performed

Describe the nature of the work conducted and specify over what time frame it was done.

2.1 Sampling

If sampling was conducted, indicate the number and type(s) of samples collected:

  • grab sample
  • chip sample, indicating over what distance
  • soil sample
  • till sample
  • stream sediment sample
  • lakebed sediment sample

Observations you may wish to report concerning your samples include:

  • their rock type
  • any veins, faults, and/or alteration zones
    • gossans or rusty patches
    • iron or copper staining
    • carbonate alteration
    • serpentinization

If you locate carving stone, describe it and give the coordinates of where it was found.

Describe your sampling methods, including equipment used for sampling and how the samples were packaged.

This section requires a map showing the location of each sample collected, regardless of analytical results for that sample.

3. Results

Describe the results of your program.

Indicate the number of samples out of the total collected which had anomalous results and give specifics for each claim, for example: "5 out of 10 samples collected from Claim F22222 have greater than 500 ppb gold."

You must include a map that shows the location(s) of the anomalous samples.

Suggestions for this map:

  • Use dots of increasing size to represent higher assay values
  • Use different colours to indicate different commodities
  • Use pie charts to represent results with multiple items, such as quantities of different kimberlite indicator minerals or a selection of different metals (such as copper, silver, lead and zinc)

These maps require:

  • geographic coordinates that are appropriate for the scale of the map, in UTM or latitude and longitude
  • a scale bar and north arrow
  • outlines of notable topographic features and water bodies
  • location(s) of nearby communities
  • transportation features such as airstrips, winter roads or ATV trails

4. Plans for follow-up work

Based on your results, discuss the mineral potential of your claim(s). Your comments might discuss whether a claim has little or no potential and ought to be dropped, while other claims should be retained for further assessment.

Outline what methods of work, such as further rock or soil sampling, geological mapping, geophysics, or other methods, would best help you gain insight into the mineral potential of your claim(s).

5. Statement of qualifications

Include a signed statement indicating:

  • your qualifications as a prospector
  • your place of residence
  • whether you have taken the Introduction to Prospecting course offered by the Government of Nunavut
  • whether anyone helped you to prepare the report, and if so, their name and qualifications

The following wording is suggested for prospectors from Nunavut:
I, (prospector's name), do hereby certify that:

  1. I am a resident of the community of (hamlet name) and have lived there for ____ years.
  2. I have taken the Introduction to Prospecting course (if applicable; specify date of course completion and hamlet in which the course was taken).
  3. I have been prospecting in Nunavut for ____ years.
  4. I conducted (or supervised, if you had assistants) the prospecting and sampling work outlined in this report.
  5. I am the author of this report.
  6. I received help preparing this report from (name of person/people who helped you, what their job title(s) is (are), and where they live).

Date: ____________________

Signature: ____________________
(type your name beneath your signature)

6. References

Give full details for all references cited in your report, including any government reports, simplified reports or assessment reports used to outline the exploration history for your area.

When referencing assessment reports, the following format is suggested:

  • • Geologist, J.M. 2014. Assessment report on the Shiny Objects project. CIRNAC Assessment Report #00001. Report prepared by J. M. Geologist for Raven Resources Ltd.

Appendices

Appendix 1 – List of personnel

List how many people worked on the project, their role (prospector, assistant, etc.), salary and how many days each person worked. Please do not provide individuals' names or addresses.

Appendix 2 – Statement of expenditures

Itemize your expenses for each permit or claim. This is most easily done using a table with the following columns:

  • claim
  • number of samples
  • cost of each sample
  • collection costs
  • analytical costs
  • camp costs
  • report costs
  • other costs
  • total

See the example table below or use the provided Excel sheet template.

At the bottom of your table include a grand total for what you spent on report and fieldwork.

Claim Sample collection costs Analytical costs Camp costs Report preparation costs Other costs Total costs $ Number of samples Cost per sample
1
2
3
4
5
Grand total for report and fieldwork

How to itemize your sampling collection costs:

Sample collection costs $ total
Transportation, such as helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, all-terrain vehicle or boat rental
Fuel for ATV, boat, or helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft
Freight (to have samples shipped to a laboratory)
Salaries*
Food/camp fuel/other consumables
Communications (SBX-11 radio, satellite phone, GPS, etc.)
Analytical costs (per sample)**
*Salaries are your wages and the wages of any assistants, multiplied by the number of days prospecting and sampling. If you are applying for the Prospector's Program grant from the Government of Nunavut, you cannot pay yourself wages out of the grant money.

**Amount paid to laboratory for analysis. It includes the name of the analytical method, such as fire assay or whole rock analysis.
Preparatory work and reporting costs $ total
Preparation of maps, reports, figures
Sample bags, other supplies if any
Report costs, including time spent writing, printer paper, cost of getting report printed, and related expenses

Appendix 3 – Sample descriptions and locations

A copy of your field notes may be adequate.

Describe your samples in terms of:

  • colour
  • mineral grain size
  • textures

Be sure to include UTM or latitude and longitude co-ordinates of the places where you collected your samples. A table can be a useful way of presenting this information if you have a large number of samples:

Sample number Sample location Sample description
SAM-001
SAM-002
SAM-003
SAM-004
SAM-005
SAM-001

Appendix 4 – Sample results and processing methods

Attach your sample results, and a description of the analytical process or methods as described by the laboratory.

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