updated March 24, 2025

Just the Basics: Getting Started with Rockhounding
also referred to as Mineral Collecting or Recreational Geology 

Always practice responsible collecting and adhere to local regulations and guidelines; while respecting the environment and landowners.

Code of Ethics

The Rockhounders' Code of Ethics emphasizes responsible and respectful mineral collecting, prioritizing landowner rights, environmental preservation, and ethical conduct within the hobby. It aims to ensure collectors act as stewards of the land, promoting safety, education, and positive public perception of the hobby.

The following is the Code of Ethics adopted by the Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CCFMS) November 2023.  Adherence to this code is expected of all members and should act the code for all Mineral Collectors:

1) I will not collect without permission on private land or land under mineral claim, lease, patent, etc.
2) I will respect site owner’s wishes while on private property (for example, staying away from certain areas, filling in any holes that are dug, etc.)
3) I will, to the best of my ability, keep informed on all legislation and policies governing collecting on private or public lands, and will observe them
4) I will, to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect
5) I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind (for example, fences, signs, buildings, etc.), and leave all gates as found
6) I will discard no burning material, including cigarettes, while walking or collecting
7) I will light fires only where/when permitted, and will adhere to safe burning practices and/or burn advisories/bans as prescribed by provincial and/or local authorities
8) I will cause no willful damage to collecting areas and material, and if specimens cannot be reasonably extracted, I will leave them in situ for others to enjoy
9) I will take home only what I can reasonably use as a hobby mineral collector
10) I will carry out my own litter; and, if reasonable to do so, remove other litter when found
11) I will co-operate with CCFMS and CCFMS-affiliated club field trip leaders and those designated in authority in all collecting areas
12) I will report to the relevant provincial geologist any geological feature on public lands that should be identified for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational & scientific purposes
13) I will, at all times, conduct myself in a manner that will enhance the public image of rock, mineral, and fossil hobby collectors
14) I will encourage and help new collectors to increase their enjoyment of hobby mineral collecting
15) I will promote appropriate collecting methods, tools, techniques, and procedures that respect the land, specimens, health and safety, and other best practices of hobby mineral collecting.

Source: http://www.ccfms.ca/Events/field_trips.html#Code

Mineral Collecting & Ontario Law
Policy: L.P. 701-1
Issued: March 25, 2011
Updated: August 16, 2023

Summary
Ontario's Ministry of Northern Development and Mines permits hobby mineral collecting as a recreational and educational activity, exercising "enforcement discretion" under the Mining Act. 
This policy allows individuals to collect minerals for personal enjoyment, education, or scientific purposes, provided they use only hand tools, limit their take to what one person can carry unassisted from a single site per year, and ensure they are collecting on Crown land open to such activity.
Collectors must respect surface and mining rights, as unauthorized collection can lead to legal consequences like trespass charges.
The Ministry encourages responsible practices, emphasizing safety and environmental preservation, while generally refraining from enforcing standard mining regulations against those adhering to these guidelines.

Purpose

As stewards of minerals in the province, the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines recognizes hobby mineral collecting for its recreational and educational benefits to the public as a whole.

The Policy 2023 update is provided to clarify the Ministry's approach to hobby mineral collection. 

Policy

Mineral collecting in Ontario is a privilege offered by the Province and is not a right.

"Recognizing the recreational and educational value of hobby mineral collecting, the ministry has adopted a policy of enforcement discretion*.

About Hobby Mineral Collecting

"For the purpose of this policy, a person will be considered to be hobby mineral collecting where:

• the samples collected are of minerals as defined in the Mining Act;
• the activity of collecting is for personal pleasure, recreation, or interest;
• the mineral samples collected are for the collector's personal collection;
• the minerals collected where mineral collecting can be done, as described below, do not exceed the amount a person can excavate with hand tools only and can carry unassisted from a specific site or location, at one time.
  - examples of hand tools can include crowbars, picks, shovels, pans, sledgehammers, geological hammers and chisels.
  - to reduce the impact of the hobby collecting on the individual location it is advised that locations for collecting be varied in a calendar year, to avoid taking more from a single location than is allowed by this policy.

"The Ministry encourages safe practices and preservation of the natural environment. Hobby mineral collecting activities subject to this policy and activities associated with the exercise of enforcement discretion also include:

• the practice of swapping minerals collected as part of building a collector's personal collection
• the acquisition of minerals for educational purposes by institutions;
• the acquisition of minerals for displays at museums or other public places; and 
• the acquisition of minerals for use in scientific research."

Legal Requirement

The Mining Act makes it clear that minerals cannot be extracted or removed without a lease of the mining rights, and compliance with the provisions of Part VII of the Act. Extraction can also be authorized in some cases by the Aggregate Resources Act. However, there is no specific authorization to remove minerals as part of a hobby collection.

Hobby Collecting

Hobby mineral collecting is allowed to the threshold limit, where both surface and mining rights are owned by the Crown and open to mineral collecting.

The requirements, of the Mining Act and the Aggregate Resources Act, will generally not be enforced against hobby mineral collecting.

Threshold Limit

What one person can excavate with hand tools only and can carry unassisted, from a specific site or location. The limit is allowed once per year per site.

Link to Ministry of Mining Hobby Mineral Collecting Policy

https://www.geologyontario.mndm.gov.on.ca/mines/lands/policies/hobby_mineral_collecting_policy_e.html

Where hobby mineral collecting can be done

It is the collector's responsibility to confirm that the lands from which they are collecting are open.

It is the hobby mineral collector's responsibility to confirm their legal obligations. ...If consent of the surface rights  and/or mining rights holder is not obtained, for example, the hobby mineral collector may be subject to charges of trespass or other interference with the land.

AND THAT ABOUT COVERS THE DRY STUFF!

*oh except...the Ontario Ministry of Mines definition of
ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION which is:
"the ability to choose whether or not to strictly enforce legislative and regulatory requirements. In the context of this policy, enforcement discretion means that the Ministry will generally choose not to apply penalties or issue orders to a person as long as the Ministry is satisfied that the person is hobby mineral collecting in accordance with the rules outlines in this policy."

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