Canada · Jurisdiction guide
Mining tenement data & monitoring in Quebec
Quebec manages mining rights through map designation, recorded in the GESTIM Plus system under the province's Mining Act. Paired with the SIGEOM geoscience database, it makes Quebec claims fully digital and well suited to systematic monitoring.
How mineral tenure works in Quebec
Quebec's Mining Act provides for claims acquired primarily by map designation - selecting cells online rather than staking ground physically. Claims are recorded in the public register accessed through GESTIM Plus, are maintained by performing and reporting required work and paying fees, and are renewable. A claim grants the exclusive right to explore and to apply to convert to a mining lease for production.
As in other Canadian provinces, courts have recently examined the duty to consult Indigenous groups before registering claims; an October 2024 Quebec decision found such a duty exists under the Mining Act, and the province has appealed. Explorers should expect continued evolution in the registration process.
Where to find Quebec claim data
GESTIM Plus is a geomatics application offering instant access to up-to-date data in Quebec's register of mining rights. You can consult titles by parameter, display and download title maps at no charge, and - as a member - manage your own titles, file notices of map designation and staking, and renew claims. SIGEOM provides the geoscience layer for targeting.
Because designation and administration are online, the register reflects transactions as they happen, giving a current view of who holds which cells and when their claims are due.
Monitoring expiries and open ground
Claims acquired by map designation carry renewal and work obligations, and ground reopens when claims are abandoned, lapse or are not renewed. In Quebec's active belts - from Abitibi gold to critical-mineral districts - cells around known deposits are contested, so timing matters.
Monitoring GESTIM for expiring and abandoned claims around your targets, and following any changes to the registration process, keeps you positioned to act as ground becomes available.
What this means for exploration teams
Quebec's digital, map-designated system makes access efficient but competitive, and an evolving consultation landscape adds a process dimension to watch. The teams that do well track claim expiries and abandonments closely and pair them with SIGEOM geoscience.
Xplore360 Land Monitoring is designed to follow GESTIM-style claim changes continuously, score newly open cells, and assemble briefs that combine tenure with public geoscience.
Tenement types in Quebec
Governed by the Mining Act (Quebec).
Claim (map designation)
The principal exploration right, acquired by designating cells on the map in GESTIM and maintained by required work and fees; renewable.
Mining lease
The tenure required to move from exploration to mineral production.
Prospecting licence
Supports prospecting activity and is administered through GESTIM's member services.
FAQ
Quebec tenement FAQs
Common questions about Quebec mineral tenure, registries and monitoring.
- How do I acquire a mining claim in Quebec?
- Quebec claims are acquired mainly by map designation - selecting cells online in the GESTIM Plus system under the Mining Act - and maintained by performing required work and paying fees. GESTIM also lets you consult and download title maps for free.
- What is GESTIM?
- GESTIM Plus is Quebec's mining title management system. It provides public access to the register of mining rights, free title maps, and member tools to file map designations, renew claims and pay fees online.
- How can I track expiring Quebec claims?
- Claim status and dates are available in GESTIM. Xplore360 Land Monitoring can watch for expiring and abandoned claims around your targets so opportunities are not missed between manual checks.
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