Minerals and Metals Facts

Canada’s minerals and metals sector is a mainstay of the national economy that supports jobs and economic activity in every region. Explore Minerals and Metals Facts to find out how the minerals and metals sector contributes to the Canadian economy and our everyday lives. These facts include data, statistics, and information on mineral and metal uses, production, trade, prices, employment, and many other themes.

Key facts

In 2023, Canada produced over 60 minerals and metals worth $72 billion. Metals represented more than half of the total production, led by gold, which accounted for 20%.
Canada is a leading global producer of many critical minerals that are essential for today’s rapidly growing clean energy technologies.
The minerals sector, which includes mining, primary processing, and metal product manufacturing, directly employed 430,000 individuals in 2023.
Indigenous Peoples accounted for 11% of the mining industry’s labour force in the 2021 census, among the highest representation by industry.
Domestic exports of mineral and metal products reached $151 billion in 2023, accounting for 21% of Canada’s total merchandise exports.
In 2023, $4.2 billion was invested in mineral exploration in Canada. Precious metals (mainly gold) were the most sought-after commodities, accounting for 49% of the spending.