Value of ’87 mineral production in Canada reaches $17.7 million

The value of mineral production in Canada (excluding petroleum and natural gas) totalled a record $17.7 billion in 1987, the Mining Association of Canada reports.

Of that amount, the value of gold contributed $2.2 billion (up almost 33% from 1986). Copper increased in value by 29% to $1.8 billion and zinc jumped 41% to $1.7 billion, with lead, nickel and uranium values also rising significantly. An exception was iron ore, which fell 6.6% in value to $1.25 billion despite a boost in production.

Among non-metals, elemental sulphur declined to $651 million in 1987 from $858 million in 1986, while coal was off 5.3% to $1.6 billion.

Three provinces accounted for 61.5% of the nation’s 1987 mineral production: Ontario (31.5%), British Columbia (15.7%) and Quebec (14.3%). More than 68% of the country’s 574 producing mining establishments operated last year within these provinces.

Jobs in the mineral industry fell between 1981 and 1986 but, according to the association, the drop in employment levelled off last year. Weekly wages and salaries in mining in 1987 averaged $682.92, with coal mines leading the way, followed by metal mines and smelting and refining. Trading partners

Canada’s biggest customer of its mineral exports (excluding petroleum and natural gas) in 1987 was the United States; Canada’s southern neighbor accounted for about 55% of the total. Trading partners also included the European Community (14%), Japan (14%) and other countries in the Far East (7%). The U.S. accounted for more than 88% of Canada’s iron and steel exports, 77% of aluminum, 65% of uranium and 60% of its gold exports.

The U.S. is also a significant exporter of minerals — including coal, iron ores and phosphatic materials — to Canada.

As a producer, Canada last year ranked first among nations in uranium concentrates and zinc, second in potash, nickel, elemental sulphur, asbestos, gypsum and titanium concentrates (ilmenite), and third in primary aluminum, molybdenum and platinum group metals.

In 1986, $611 million was spent inside the country on mining exploration; about 75% of that total was spent looking for precious metals, and 14% for base metals. It is estimated $1 billion was spent on similar exploration in 1987.