2006
Natural Resources
Ken Andrews, Steve Ash, Mark Brown, Jim Hinchey, Larry Nolan, Mark Shave, W. Keith Parsons
The Mineral Rights Administration Database (MIRIAD) provides clients with a state-of-the-art system for mineral claim staking that allows real-time acquisition of mineral licences from anywhere in the world at any time through combined use of the internet and e-commerce. This pioneering concept places the province at the forefront internationally. The system has met with tremendous client satisfaction, providing significant savings to both the private sector and the provincial government, and has made Newfoundland and Labrador a more competitive place to do business.
The leadership, vision and tenacity displayed by the MIRIAD team brought this project to reality. To meet the needs of industry the team developed an efficient system that made use of GIS technology and allowed acquisition of claims from outside of St. John’s. They collaborated to develop the methodology and programming needed to implement their ideas. Since its inception in February 2005, it has become the centerpiece of the province’s mineral tenure system and plays a vital role in the management of the province’s mineral resources.
MIRIAD has resulted in major cost efficiencies for government, as it is automatically maintained and requires little manual supervision. It offers major savings in both time and money to exploration companies, and it has attracted the interest of other jurisdictions across Canada. It has revolutionized the way mineral rights are acquired in the province and will have long-term impacts on the mineral exploration industry. It has been touted as one of the reasons why mineral exploration activity and investment has significantly increased over the past two years.
The development of MIRIAD was borne from a true desire by the team to achieve excellence and lead in this area. Because of the dedication of this team the standard has now been set for on-line staking in Canada. Working virtually flawlessly since being launched, the system has received high praise from all segments of the industry. It is now used as a model for similar systems worldwide. The work of this team has helped ensure that investment in provincial mineral exploration is directed more fully to where it can benefit the province and clients most – in the ground, unlocking mineral wealth.
The members of the MIRAID team bring to their positions a high degree of integrity, a solid work ethic and a desire to serve their clients to the very best of their abilities. They are an example of the public service meeting its full potential in marrying creativity with commitment and providing a valuable service to the people of the province and, indeed, beyond.