Private Property FAQ - Mineral Titles

Most private landowners in BC do not own the mineral rights.

In some rare cases, as in Crown Granted 2-Post Mineral Claims, a landowner may own the land and hold certain mineral rights.

For more information, please review Information Update  #7 - A Guide to Surface and Subsurface Rights and Responsibilities in British Columbia.

Contact Land Title Survey Authority (LTSA) to request a copy of your land title to determine if you hold any mineral rights.

Mineral and placer rights on available land can be acquired using Mineral Titles Online. The purpose of acquiring a claim is to explore for and develop mineral projects.

Information Update  #7 - A Guide to Surface and Subsurface Rights and Responsibilities in British Columbia.

Visit Mineral Titles Online and select ‘Mineral Map’ or ‘Placer Map’ under CWM. Mineral and placer are different types of title and must be looked up separately.

Zoom into your private property to see if there are any overlapping claims. Mineral and placer titles are shown on the map in pink.

For a quick guide to the mapping tools, see Quick Reference Guide.

A free miner cannot come onto your property without first notifying you.

Section 19 of the Mineral Tenure Act requires a person serves notice to the owner of private land, before entering a landowner’s property for exploration and development.

Information Update #7 provides a detailed overview of surface and subsurface rights and responsibilities for landowners and free miners.

Information Update #29B describes the requirements for notice pursuant to section 19 of the Act.