Mineral Production

Background

Each year, with the collaboration of several provinces and territories, the Minerals and Mining Statistics Division of the Minerals and Metals Sector, Natural Resources Canada, surveys Canadian mining establishments to obtain calendar year data on the principal statistics of the mineral industry and on the value and volume of Canadian mineral production by commodity. The vehicle used to collect these data is the Annual Census of Mines.

How Mineral Production Surveys Are Conducted

Two types of annual production data are collected - preliminary estimates and final. Both involve more than 3300 questionnaires to survey the volume and value of 51 mineral commodities and 14 refined metals. The preliminary estimate questionnaires are mailed in September of the survey year with the estimates released in the following January. The final annual questionnaires are mailed in December or January with the data finalized by December of the year following the survey year. The process for both surveys involves mail out, collection, follow-up of non-respondents, editing and validation of the data, analysis, and publishing.

Brief History of Production Statistics

Mineral production statistics have been collected continuously in Canada since 1886. Originally, the data were compiled by the Geological and Natural History Survey of Canada. The Dominion Bureau of Statistics (now Statistics Canada) assumed responsibility for the collection, compilation and publication of these statistics in 1921 and continued until 1976. In 1977, Natural Resources Canada assumed responsibility for the collection and compilation of these statistics.

Key Definitions

The operation unit (mine, mine/mill, quarry, and pit or bog) is designated as the "establishment," and an understanding of this term is essential. ESTABLISHMENTS are, for statistical purposes, defined as:

THE SMALLEST UNIT THAT IS A SEPARATE OPERATING ENTITY CAPABLE OF REPORTING ON THE FOLLOWING:

  • Materials and supplies used;
  • Goods purchased for resale in the same condition as purchased;
  • Fuel and power consumed;
  • Number of employees and salaries and wages; 
  • Person-hours for employees;
  • Inventories; and
  • Shipments or sales.

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