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New tool designed to ease provincial mineral exploration

Ontario Geological Survey Focus is free and available to the public
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Ontario Geological Survey Focus is an online tool developed by the provincial government to aid in mineral exploration across the province.

The Ontario government has launched a new online tool it says will help promote mineral exploration throughout the province.

Ontario Geological Survey (OGS) Focus draws geoscience data from multiple sources – the Ontario Assessment File Database (OAFD), the Ontario Drill Hole Database (ODHD), and the Mineral Deposit Inventory (MDI) database – to make it easier for companies and prospectors to identify areas available for mineral exploration and claim registration.

The site pinpoints areas where historical mineral exploration has occurred, where data is available, and where land is open for claim registration.

The OGS site is free to access and available to anyone, including those in the mineral industry, Indigenous communities, and municipalities.

In announcing the tool on Jan. 20, the province said this is part of its plan to help stimulate activity in the mining sector and promote economic recovery.

"Now more than ever, our government is committed to ensuring we support the ongoing prosperity of our province's mineral exploration and prospecting industry," said Greg Rickford, minister of energy, Northern development and mines, in a news release.

"The OGSFocus tool is a state-of-the-art, customer-focused product that will further solidify Ontario's position as a leading global jurisdiction in mineral exploration and production."