Please find attached…

Please find attached comments on the proposed new Hobby Mineral Collecting Guide submitted on behalf of the Sudbury Rock and Lapidary Society. Detailed information is included in the attached document; key take-aways are listed below.

- There are many thousands of people who want guidance related to hobby mineral collecting in Ontario.

- Ontario should actively support hobby mineral collecting because it aligns with many government priorities.

- The new directives on hobby mineral collecting must accommodate the fundamental reason the policy was updated: allowing hobby mineral collecting where the mining rights were withdrawn under Section 35.1 of the Mining Act.

- An updated policy that addresses the issues raised by the Sudbury Rock and Lapidary Society and other respondents is needed without further delay.

- The new document should be clearly positioned as a policy, and its title revised to include its designation as Policy L.P. 701-1

- Terms including “open for claim registration” should be explained or rewritten, and a more complete Glossary such as the one in the 2014 version of the Hobby Mineral Collecting Policy should be included in the guide.

- An explanation of the terms “surface rights” and “mining rights” should be added to the body of the new guide, and to the Terms and definitions section of the new guide.

- A new section should be added to explain that hobby mineral collecting can be undertaken by anyone, regardless of age or residency, and without a permit or license, if they follow the terms and conditions of the policy.

- Information relating to where hobby mineral collectors can work should be clarified, and updates to encourage hobby mineral collecting and accommodate the reason for revising the 1990s mineral collecting policy must be made.

- Additions are needed to indicate that hobby mineral collecting encompasses gold panning and hobby fossil collecting.

- The word “commercially” should be reinstated in the clause regarding the sale of the minerals they collect to better support activities that allow hobby mineral collectors of all ages build their collections.

- The directive about third party interest holders and arrangements they may make with hobby mineral collectors should be clarified such that it is consistent with directives elsewhere in the draft policy and the Mining Act, while respecting the interests of both rights holders.

- The final policy should include an updated version of the “Where to Find Information” that was part of the 2014 Hobby Mineral Collecting Policy.

- For the sake of clarity, certain entries under “Terms and definitions” should be added, and others should be expanded.

- The list of tools should be modified to be consistent with the tools that can be safely used by collectors.

- When the document posted on the ERO is modified in response to the feedback received through the ERO, someone familiar with hobby mineral collecting should be involved.