Picked this up at the convention on the weekend.
You can get good information --once you get used to it and the scale.
If you go to the "Mineral Dispositions" GIS - best is to click on FIND (the binoculars) and enter "SAN", "COUGAR", "BISON" etc... whatever you are looking for. A list of mining claims in Manitoba will show up. Click on the number in blue - its a hotlink to the claim.... you may wish to zoom out (-glass) and click on the claim to get a wider view.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/stem/mrd/geo/gis/minesmaps.html
NOTE: Another intersting GIS is the "Assessment & Mineral History" one - didn't play with it too much but you can get reports and historicals on claims.
Winnipeg Mining SHOW:
I stopped by SAN's booth to listen to Bill for a bit. They were giving out GOLD MINE "nugget" bubble gum (not very good) - but rumored to have a nugget in one (not sure that was real or rumor). I didn't stay long, but what was interesting was seeing the different samples from areas (Hinge, Deep, etc). The Deep -- was measurable different (darkest rock) and had the most visible gold present. This was pre-007.
