Early this year, the end of an era was marked in prospecting.
The traditional claim-staking process was replaced with the Mining Lands Administration System, an online mining claim registration hub.
For the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM), it says the changes level the playing field for registering mining claims.
In the past, when important claims expired stakers would show up to the location, the rush would start and whoever finished first won it.
The new system allows people 24-hour, self-service access to mining claim registration. Is also lets people register claims anywhere in the province.
An event at Hollinger Park Jan. 8 helped commemorate the last day of claim staking in Ontario.
To mark the end of the era, local claim stakers, their family and a few interested residents took part in the Last Post ceremony.
With four posts in the park, a tag was hammered to each. The participants added their name and prospector’s license number to the first, along with the time that the event started and finished.
Walking from post to post, the prospectors shared stories of the past, regaling one another with memorable adventures or profitable finds.
