Mining has had a significant presence in every part of Canada — from the east to west coasts to the far north. This book tells the stories of those who built Canada’s mining industry. It highlights the experiences of the people who lived and worked in mining towns across the country, the rise of major mining companies, and the emergence of Toronto and Vancouver as centres of global mining finance. It also addresses the devastating effects mining has had on Indigenous communities and their land and documents several high-profile resistance efforts.
Mining Country presents fascinating snapshots of Canadian mining past and present, from pre-contact Indigenous copper mining and trading networks to the famous Cariboo and Klondike Gold Rushes. Generously illustrated with more than 150 visuals drawn from every period of mining history, this book offers a thorough account of the story behind the industry.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 Deep Roots
CHAPTER 2 Mining from Colony to Nation
CHAPTER 3 Mining and the Industrial Boom
CHAPTER 4 New Frontiers and the Post-War Mining Boom
CHAPTER 5 Rough Terrain, 1973–2016
CHAPTER 6 Heritage, History, and Zombie Mines
CONCLUSION The History and Future of Mining in Canada
REFERENCES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VISUAL CREDITS
INDEX
"In Mining Country, Sandlos and Keeling have pulled together a vast amount of material on Canadian mining history, creating an engaging and often surprising story. Compellingly written and handsomely illustrated, Mining Country pays particular attention to Indigenous mining histories."
- Nancy Langston, distinguished professor of environmental history, Michigan Technical University and author of Climate Ghosts: Migratory Species in the Anthropocene
"Finally, a history of Canadian mining that tells the whole story, one that does not shy away from detailing the environmental damage done and the astronomical clean-up costs, or the efforts of Indigenous communities to secure often-promised but rarely achieved economic benefits. Anyone who cares about environmental justice needs to read this book."
- Jeremy Mouat, professor emeritus, University of Alberta and author of Roaring Days: Rossland’s Mines and the History of British Columbia
"Canada is a mining nation. The economies of many provinces and some of our biggest cities are anchored in resource extraction. And yet few Canadians have any awareness of the immense influence of mining. Mining Country provides a much-needed primer on the impacts of this industry on the economy, environment, workers' health and Indigenous rights across Canada."
- Charlie Angus, NDP MP and author of Cobalt: The Making of a Mining Superpower (forthcoming)
JOHN SANDLOS is a professor of history at Memorial University of Newfoundland, with a research focus on the history of abandoned mines in Northern Canada. He is the author of Hunters at the Margin and co-editor (with Arn Keeling) of Mining and Communities in Northern Canada: History, Politics, Memory. He lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
ARN KEELING is a professor of geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland. His research examines the environmental legacies of abandoned mines, mine closure and remediation, and the social issues surrounding environmental contamination and its effects on northern Indigenous communities. He co-directed the Toxic Legacies Project with John Sandlos, conducting community-engaged research on the history and legacy of Giant Mine. He lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
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