"Until recently, private-sector interest in non-fuel mineral resources on Canada's continental shelf had been sporadic. ... The only large scale mining operations in the offshore have been for sand and gravel which was used to construct drilling islands for oil and gas exploration in the Beaufort Sea. The first assessment of Canada's offshore non-fuel mineral resources was published in 1984. It indicated that the Canadian offshore has good potential for gold-bearing sands, sand and gravel, and silica sand. In addition, it pointed out that there are possibilities for a variety of heavy-minerals and other industrial minerals such as carbonate sand. Subsequent calculations suggested that annual gross sales of gold, sand and gravel and silica sand from the Canadian offshore could be in the order of $25 million to $420 million by the year 2000. While the benefits from offshore mineral development are modest in comparison with oil and gas or fisheries, they are potentially significant. Offshore mining activities could provide opportunities for employment, regional development and market and technology development in various marine-related industries. Offshore sources of industrial minerals such as sand and gravel could help hold down costs of construction and, in some cases, may relieve the pressure to mine in environmentally sensitive areas such as beaches. While the results of assessment work and the growing private-sector interest appear encouraging, initiatives are being frustrated by lack of mining regulations appropriate for the offshore, and problems related to private-sector uncertainty as to whether some deposits fall within federal or provincial jurisdiction. The objective of the Discussion Paper is to develop guidelines for legislation that would be applicable to the exploration and expoitation of non-fuel minerals in all areas of Canada's Continental Shelf. ... For purposes of discussion, the paper is divided into sections on: a) management and administration,b) mineral rights disposition, c) mining royalties, and d) environmental and fisheries protection"--ASTIS [online] database.