Any successful mine-finder must be assured of the benefits of the effort. The laws that regulate mineral exploration in Canada enable the prospector to do just that. Although these laws vary from province to province, the same principles apply.

In Canada, the responsibility of managing protecting natural resources is vested in provincial governments. (The Yukon and Northwest Territories fall under federal juridiction, and exploration in Nunavut is regulated by Tungavik Federation of Nunavut.)