Archived News Releases

Mineral Exploration Assisted with $1 Million

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Program Helps Bring Jobs, Business Opportunities to Manitoba: Chomiak

The provincial government is providing $1 million to support 23 new mineral exploration projects through the April 2010 offering of the Mineral Exploration Assistance Program (MEAP), Innovation, Energy and Mines Minister Dave Chomiak announced today.

 

“Continued support of mineral exploration leads to new discoveries and new mine development,” said Chomiak. “Mining efforts in Wabowden, Bissett and the Lalor project near Snow Lake show the positive effects supporting mineral exploration can have in training, jobs and business opportunities for Manitobans.”

 

The program provides assistance of up to 25 per cent of approved eligible expenses to a maximum of $200,000 per recipient per fiscal year.  MEAP also offers a higher level of assistance of up to 35 per cent to encourage exploration in areas where new discoveries can help sustain existing communities and in frontier regions that are difficult to access.  Eight of the projects in the Lynn Lake and Leaf Rapids regions and other northern areas qualify for the higher level of assistance.

 

The companies are exploring for a variety of commodities including gold, copper-zinc, nickel and rare‑earth metals. There is also one project each for diamonds and lithium.  Nine of the 23 companies benefiting from MEAP’s financial assistance will be exploring in Manitoba for the first time.

 

Increased exploration activity boosts local economies, contributes to the province’s geoscience knowledge base and identifies new ore bodies that have the potential to be Manitoba’s next mine, said Chomiak.

 

“Good things can happen when government, industry and communities work together,” he said.  “This includes a new mining academy in the north, a new mine near Snow Lake, greener, safer and healthier mining communities, and new industry-First Nation agreements.”

 

To view a map showing the location of the MEAP projects and a project list visit:

 

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