Mining dataset descriptions and download
Last updated on December 11, 2024Datasets maintained and published by the ministry are available for preview and download from the BC Data Catalogue
Datasets specific to the Mineral Titles Online application
Current titles - Mineral Titles Online - Spatial View of the current titles, including ownership information
Historical titles - Mineral Titles Online - Spatial View of the historical mineral, placer and coal title spatial information
Client - Tenure cross-reference table - Mineral Titles Online - A cross-reference attribute table to MTA - Mineral, Placer and Coal tenure SVW dataset that stores client numbers and their associated mineral, placer and coal title numbers including one-many (one title-many owners) relationships
Client contact cross-reference table - Mineral Titles Online - Attribute table of public contact information for mineral titles clients
Mineral and placer grid - Mineral Titles Online - Spatial representation of the cell grid system used to acquire mineral and placer titles
Coal mapsheet - Spatial representation of mapsheets for the coal grid. Mapsheets are the coarsest component of the grid and approximate 1:250,000 NTS map sheets
Coal group - Spatial representation of groups for the coal grid. Groups are the second coarsest level of the Coal Grid and approximate 1:50,000 NTS map sheets
Coal block - Spatial representation of blocks for the coal grid. Blocks are the second finest level of the coal grid. A block consists of 100 units divided into 10 rows by 10 columns. There are also 12 blocks in a group, comprising 3 rows by 4 columns and labelled A to L
Coal unit - Spatial representation of a unit for the coal grid. A unit is the base building block for creating the Coal Grid. In a block there are 100 units, 10 rows by 10 columns, and numbered consecutively, starting in the southeast corner. The units are numbered 1 to 10, 11 - 20 etc. always reading from right to left
Current reserves (Sites) - Mineral Titles Online - A spatial view of areas within the province of British Columbia where mineral, placer and coal titles are restricted and placer titles are permitted
Historical reserves (Sites) - Mineral Titles Online - Spatial representation of historical view of the reserve layer
Datasets specific to mine permitting
Major mine permitted mine areas - Spatial representation of areas where mining activity has been approved and a permit has been issued under the Mines Act. Note: review the metadata as this dataset is continually being updated.
Regional mine notice of work / permitted mine areas - Spatial representation of areas where mining activity has been approved and a permit has been issued under the Mines Act. Note: review the metadata as this dataset is continually being updated.
Notice of Work - Spatial representation of a point location of proposed exploration work to be done at a prospective mine site and permitted site locations.
Regional mine notice of work / permitted mine areas - Polygon spatial representation of areas where mining activity has been approved and a permit has been issued under the Mines Act. Note: review the metadata as this dataset is continually being updated.
Querying permitting datasets for applications and permits
Mine permitting data can be difficult to understand. Find ways to query the spatial information.
Gravel pits/quarries - additional data
In addition to our mines datasets listed, users may wish to consider the following data for identifying gravel pits/quarries.
- Gravel Pits, Ministry of Transportation and Transit
- Contact the Engineering Services Branch/Aggregates group
- Forest Service Road Dedications and Gravel Pits, Ministry of Forests
- data catalogue record: Forest Tenure Special Access Road Polygon
- Forest Tenure Special Use Permits, Ministry of Forests
- data catalogue records: Forest Tenure Special Use Permit Polygon
- determine if you want active, pending or retired polygons: query LIFE_CYCLE_STATUS_CODEquery SPECIAL_USE_DESCRIPTION in ('Gravel Pit, Rock Quarry', 'Quarrying')
- Gravel Pits, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
- data catalogue record: Tantalis - Crown Tenures
- determine if you want applications and/or tenure: query TENURE_STAGE
- query TENURE_PURPOSE = 'QUARRYING'
- TENURE_SUBPURPOSE IN (TENURE_SUBPURPOSE IN ('ROCK FOR CRUSHING', 'SAND AND GRAVEL', 'QUARRY', 'CONSTRUCTION STONE')
- some of these sub-purpose records have different purposes in the database
Other mining datasets of interest
Crown grants - Spatial representation of crown granted mineral claims issued between 1874 to 1957.
Elk Valley area based management plan - Spatial representation of the Elk Valley Area Based Management Plan (ABMP) - “Elk Valley Water Quality Plan” was developed according to Ministerial Order No. 113 to remediate water quality effects of past coal mining and to guide future development
Zipfile for download: Freehold Coal PUBLIC Distribution May-September 2018.zip
Mineral Titles, in conjunction with GeoBC, has created a spatial layer depicting areas of possible freehold (private) coal rights to provide coal clients with a starting point for their own research and possible submission of a coal licence application. Further research using Tantalis GATOR may be necessary to provide certainty and completeness of your coal licence application.
The information is collected when a land status for coal rights is conducted for a given area; therefore, the information is current at that time. As the information provided is a determination of the status of coal rights at that given moment, it is subject to change. The information contained in this file is only updated if there is a reason to re-assess the area.
For areas where no information exists, do not assume that coal rights are available. It may be the area has not yet been researched.
Historic mining divisions - Spatial representation of administrative areas for historic mining divisions once used in the Province of British Columbia. This information is still required for ARIS report submissions
Mining regions - Spatial representation of the 5 Mining regions for the Ministry. These administrative boundaries are derived from the 8 Natural Resource Regions and used with a Notice of Work submission and permitting authorizations
First Nation regional coal agreements - Spatial representation of agreements signed by the Province and Halfway River First Nation, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations providing a strategic approach when considering coal resource development in the northeast of BC.