Canada's Minerals and Metals Key Facts

Canada’s Minerals and Metals: A Global Presence

Canadian-listed firms have interests in more than 8000 exploration and mining properties in over 100 countries around the world.
These Canadian projects include over 200 mines, smelters, refineries, plants under construction, and other advanced mineral development projects.
Canada ranks among the world’s top five producers of 14 mineral commodities and is the world's leader in the production of potash and uranium.
In 2006, about 20% of the world's exploration spending was planned for Canada, the most preferred target for exploration in the world.
Canadian-based companies conduct about 40% of all mineral exploration undertaken in the world.
Although Canadian companies operate all over the world, Canada remains the country where they allocate the largest proportion, by far, of their global mineral exploration programs.
Canada’s minerals and metals industry account for approximately $50 billion, or about 12%, of all Canadian direct investment abroad.

Most mining communities are in rural and northern regions where several hundred Aboriginal communities are in close proximity to mining operations.
Approximately 1200 Aboriginal communities are located within 200 kilometres of minerals and metals activities.

Canada is one of the largest mining nations in the world, producing more than 60 minerals and metals.
Canada is a leading producer and exporter of minerals and mineral-based products. Exports of minerals and mineral-based products are close to $62 billion a year, averaging 15% of Canada’s total domestic exports. (These figures include all minerals and mineral products, excluding oil and gas.)
In 2005, Canada’s minerals and metals industry employed about 388 000 men and women: approximately 45 000 were employed in mining, 84 000 in primary metal manufacturing, and 259 000 in nonmetal and fabricated metal manufacturing.
Canada’s mining industry provides some of the highest weekly earnings in the economy, averaging almost $1100. In comparison, weekly earnings in the Canadian economy average just over $700.
Canada’s minerals and metals industry ranks among the top 10 in GDP per worker.
At the start of 2006 almost 200 producing establishments (metal, nonmetal, including peat bogs and coal mines), over 3000 stone quarries and sand and gravel pits, and about 50 nonferrous smelters, refineries and steel mills were operating in Canada.
There are more than 1000 mining companies listed on Canadian stock exchanges, more than in any other country.
In 2003, Canadian mining companies raised close to $6 billion in equity financing, more than 45% of the world total.

Productivity growth in Canada’s minerals and metals industry has typically exceeded that of the total economy as innovation and improvements in human capital have allowed the industry to remain globally competitive.
Technological advances have enabled the mining and processing of previously uneconomic deposits by lowering production costs.
Preliminary estimates indicate research and development expenditures generated by Canada’s minerals and metals industry will total over $530 million in the next two years (2005 and 2006).

Canadian-based companies have captured a significant share of the world market for airborne geophysical equipment and geophysical equipment manufacturers and related software developers, and Canadian data companies have a strong international presence.
Canadian companies are part of a global mining business-to-business consortium using the Internet to contract for supply and services to their operations worldwide.