GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS: CANADA
Is the size and diversity of Canada’s mining industry its main strength? Maurice Jones reports.
Liegt die größte Stärke der kanadischen Bergbaubranche in ihrer Größe und Vielfalt? Maurice Jones berichtet.
¿El tamaño y la diversidad de la industria minera de Canadá son sus puntos fuertes? Informe de Maurice Jones.
Diversity for stability S
uch is the size of the Canadian mining industry that it is tempting to concentrate on mining in one or two provinces.
However, those chosen (Ontario and British Columbia) featured for the wrong reason in the recent survey by the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute. Tis determined that these, unlike most other Canadian provinces, did not appear in the top 10 favoured locations in the world to carry out mining investment business. Tey came in at 23rd and 28th respectively, but also ahead of Nunavut and Nova Scotia. Saskatchewan led Canadian provinces, being listed 2nd in the world behind Finland. Criteria for the survey of 485 mining exploration executives included geological attractiveness and how well the 122 jurisdictions encouraged mining exploration and investment.
(Kidd Creek near Timmins, Ontario) at almost 3,000m (10,000ft). To those outside the industry and fans of the TV series ‘Ice Road Truckers’ it is not widely known that Canada is also the third largest producer of diamonds in the world thanks to a number of kimberlite pipe mines, both open pit and now underground, chiefly in the North West Territories. Traditionally Canada is a leader in nickel production, and it is still in the world’s top five producers. Tere are over 800 mines of
different types employing over 360,000 workers.
The long-lived Dome Mine near Timmins, Ontario, featuring the now abandoned Super Pit.
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Canada can claim many leading positions in mining including the top country producing potash and uranium. It also has the world’s deepest base-metal (copper/zinc) mine
Economic value Despite a diverse economy, all this places mining in a very important position within Canada as well as in foreign trade. Including metal producing the industry is valued at 42 billion CAD (32.9bn USD) annually. Despite the lower commodity prices in most types of mining, Canada still has many start-ups including those commencing production. For example, despite its problems with the Mount Polley mine tailings dam breach, Imperial Metal Corp has just commenced trucking copper concentrate from its Red Chris mine to the port of Stewart, British Columbia, following commissioning of the mineral dressing flotation circuit using low-grade ore feed. Imperial, based in Vancouver, operates the Mount Polley copper/ gold mine, the Sterling gold mine in Nevada, USA and has 50% interest in the Huckleberry copper mine and Ruddock Creek led/zinc property, both in British Columbia. Exploration also continues, especially for more valuable materials. For example Harte Gold, following
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