GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS: CANADA
completion of a drilling programme, recently discovered a new zone, the ‘Footwall Zone’, as well as the ‘Contact Zone’, at its Sugar Zone property northeast of White River, Ontario. In other areas mining activity is
relatively steady, typically in gold and palladium mines where production was ‘regular’ without plans for any increases in capacity, according to a leading producer of components supplying the mining industry. Mining in eastern Canada is reported as ‘business as usual’ except for the Labrador Trough. Mines in the Sudbury, Ontario area reported an increase in production last year that would have been more save for an extended maintenance closure at Vale Inco. Labrador mines were also all up in production but exporting rather than feeding ‘local’ smelters that were not up to full capacity.
Geology Most of Canada consists of the Pre- Cambrian rocks of the Canadian
Shield, with the major exceptions of younger strata making up the mountainous west and the Archaen Labrador peninsula in the east. Te Shield has been greatly affected by Ice Age glaciation that has eroded the strata but left uneven deposits of glacial clays, gravels and boulders. Canada has a wide range of mineral wealth from the high value commodities of gold and diamonds to the energy sources of coal on both east and west seaboards, the oil sands of the province of Alberta, and uranium ore. It was coal that started Canadian mining with its discovery on Cape Breton Island, within the Maritime Provinces, over 350 years ago. Te world’s leading potash mines of Saskatchewan province now have even more significance with the increasing demand for the salt and its derivatives in agriculture, and various industrial processes. Canada’s development of rare earth resources has gained increased relevance recently with concerns over the security of economic international supplies for growing
C
anada produces more than 60
minerals and metals and ranks in the top five countries in the global production of 11 major minerals and metals. These are: first in potash; second in uranium and cobalt; third in aluminum and tungsten; fourth in platinum group metals, sulphur and titanium; and fifth in nickel and diamonds.
The effects of the tailings dam breach and spillage at Mount Polley mine, British Columbia.
Photo: Reuters.
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