B.C. gives grants to prospectors

Grants to help 136 mineral prospectors have been approved under the British Columbia government’s half-million-dollar prospectors’ assistance program.

“B.C.’s mining industry depends on active exploration and these grants help high-quality proposals at an early stage,” said Mines Minister Jack Davis. “This is where risks are high and financing difficult to obtain.”

Increased funding for prospectors’ training courses and technical help has also been built into the 1988 program budget.

“Building on the last two years’ success, we have increased the program 25% over-all and boosted the average grant from $2,500 to more than $3,000,” said Davis.

The ministry’s review of last year’s grants showed positive results in all regions of the province, the minister said. Thirty-six of the 133 prospectors who received assistance last year found new mineral prospects or worked on known occurrences warranting further, more advanced exploration. Large exploration programs have started or are planned for several prospects.

Grant applications are screened and evaluated by ministry staff. Two hundred applications were received this year and 136 were awarded grants ranging from $1,350 to $5,000. The criteria used in awarding the grants are technical quality, experience and training, financial commitment, and references and recommendations. All regions of the province are represented in the program.

Monitoring and evaluation of prospectors’ projects continues until the work is complete and a technical report submitted; only then is the final grant payment made.