Mining & Minerals

Photo of mine

Rocks are composed of minerals. Each of the thousands of minerals found in the earth’s crust contains a specific combination of elements in specific proportions. Although some elements can be found in an almost pure form (gold or copper, for example), most are chemically bound up in minerals. Human societies have come to value particular elements and minerals more than others, for use as fuels, to make tools and chemicals, or to wear as jewellery. We have also learned to recognize these elements and the minerals that contain them in the rocks that make up the surface of the earth. Prospecting, mining and processing minerals are complex processes that cost significant amounts of money to undertake. Although the return on a mining investment can be high, it can also be highly uncertain.

List of Topics:

Mining

Active Metal Mines, 2004

This map depicts the 66 metal mines that operated for any period during 2004. There were no active metal mines in the Yukon Territory, Alberta, Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia for this year.

Precious-metal Mines, 2004

This map depicts the 32 precious-metal mines that operated for any period during 2004. Precious-metal mines produce gold, silver, palladium and uranium. There were no active precious-metal mines in the Yukon Territory, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick or Nova Scotia for this year. The locations of 2 uranium-processing facilities and 2 precious-metal refineries are shown to provide an industrial context for precious-metal mining activity.

Base-metal Mines, 2004

This map depicts the 28 base-metal mines that operated for any period during 2004. Base-metal mines produce primarily copper, nickel, zinc, lead, cobalt, molybdenum and magnesium. There were no active base-metal mines in the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador for this year. The locations of 22 selected base-metal production facilities are shown to provide an industrial context for base-metal mining activity

Ferrous-metal Mines, 2004

This map depicts the 6 ferrous-metal mines that operated for any period during 2004. Ferrous-metal mines produce iron ore, niobium and tantalum, all used in the production of steel and steel alloys. Only Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Manitoba have ferrous-metal mines. The locations of 15 steelproduction facilities, 3 iron-agglomerate plants and 4 ferroalloy plants are shown to provide an industrial context for ferrous-metal mining activity

Selected Metal-production Facilities, 2004

This map depicts 59 metal-production facilities that operated for any period during 2004. There are no facilities shown in the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia.

Minerals

Mineral Commodity Flows (1979)

Principal Minerals (1957)