68 
6-7 EDWARD VII— 1907 
CHAPTER 29 
An Act to create a Department of Mines 
( Assented to 27th April, 1907.) 
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Com- 
mons of Canada, enacts as follows: — 
1. This Act may be cited as The Geology and Mines Act. 
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, — 
(a) “department” means the Department of Mines; 
( b ) “Minister” means the Minister of Mines. 
3. There shall be a department of the Civil Service to be called “The Department 
of Mines,” which shall be under the control and management of the head of one of the 
present departments of the Government of Canada, who shall be named from time to 
time for that purpose by the Governor in Council, and who shall be called “The Minister 
of Mines.” 
4. The Department shall administer all laws enacted by the Parliament of Canada 
relating to mines and mining, and shall also have the management and direction of all 
subjects assigned to it by the Governor in Council. 
2. Whenever, under the provisions of this section, the management and direction of 
any subject is transferred from any other department to the Department of Mines, the 
Minister of Mines, and the Deputy Minister of Mines shall be substituted for, and have 
all the powers and perform all the duties of, the minister and deputy minister, respectively, 
of such other department, as defined and provided by the Acts and regulations relating 
to such subject. 
5. The department shall consist of two branches, one of which shall be called the 
Mines Branch, and the other of which shall be called the Geological Survey. 
6. The functions of the Mines Branch shall be, — 
(a) to collect and publish full statistics of the mineral production and of the mining 
and metallurgical industries of Canada, and such data regarding the economic minerals 
of Canada as relate to the processes and activities connected with their utilization, and 
to collect and preserve all available records of mines and mining works in Canada; 
(b) to make detailed investigations of mining camps and areas containing economic 
minerals or deposits of other economic substances, for the purpose of determining the mode 
of occurrence, and the extent and character of the ore-bodies and deposits of the 
economic minerals or other economic substances; 
(c) to prepare and publish such maps, plans, sections, diagrams, drawings and illus- 
trations as are necessary to elucidate the reports issued by the Mines Branch; 
(d) to make such chemical, mechanical and metallurgical investigations as are found 
expedient to aid the mining and metallurgical industry of Canada; 
( e ) to collect and prepare for exhibition in the Museum specimens of the different 
ores and associated rocks and minerals of Canada and such other materials as are 
necessary to afford an accurate exhibit of the mining and metallurgical resources and 
industries of Canada. 
7. The functions of the Geological Survey shall be, — 
(a) to make a full and scientific examination and survey of the geological structure 
and mineralogy of Canada; to collect, classify and arrange for exhibition in the Victoria 
Memorial Museum such specimens as are necessary to afford a complete and exact 
knowledge of the geology, mineralogy, palaeontology, ethnology, and fauna and flora of 
Canada; and to make such chemical and other researches as will best tend to ensure the 
carrying into effect the objects and purposes of this Act; 
(b) to study and report upon the facts relating to water supply for irrigation and for 
domestic purposes, and to collect and preserve all available records of artesian or other 
wells; 
(c) to map the forest areas of Canada, and to make and report upon investigations 
useful to the preservation of the forest resources of Canada; 
