Amanda McCallum Executive Director MINING INDUSTRY NL
What role does Mining Industry NL play for the industry?
Mining Industry NL is a not-for-profit, industry-led organization supporting the entire mineral value chain in Newfoundland and Labrador. This includes prospectors, junior and senior explorers, developers, operators, producers, and the service and supply sector.
Our core mandate is advocacy and representation, but it also focuses on investment attraction, sector promotion, outreach and education, and business-to-business matchmaking. Through a comprehensive range of initiatives, the organization works to strengthen the province’s mining industry and enhance its global competitiveness. How does mining contribute to Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy?
Mining is the second-largest contributor to Newfoundland and Labrador’s GDP, accounting for 9.3% in 2024 – up from 7.3% in 2023 – behind only oil extraction. In 2024, mineral shipments totaled CA$4.6 billion, with projections surpassing CA$6 billion in 2025 due to new projects coming online. Exploration remains strong, with forecasted expenditures of CA$258 million for 2025. Foreign direct investment in mining brings new money into the province, fueling economic and social activity in rural areas. With an area of 452,000 km2 and just 550,000 residents, the province remains an underexplored, top-tier frontier jurisdiction with significant untapped mineral potential. What is the province’s geological profile?
Newfoundland and Labrador boasts exceptional geological diversity, hosting 27 of Canada’s 34 critical minerals. The province's mineral richness spans both island and Labrador, with world-class systems ranging from high-purity iron ore in Labrador West, with more than 30% of Canada’s supply of iron ore coming from the Labrador Trough. Equally, the Voisey’s Bay mine supplies more than 30% of Canada’s nickel.
Gold exploration is particularly active, with Equinox Gold expected to pour first gold at its Valentine mine by Q4 2025. Remarkably, this is the first greenfield project permitted in Atlantic Canada in over 15 years.
Newfoundland and Labrador consistently ranks highly on mining jurisdiction attractiveness – it placed 6th globally in the Fraser Institute’s 2024 survey.
Sean Kirby Executive Director MINING ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA
How does the Mining Association of Nova Scotia (MANS) support the province’s mining industry?
MANS is the voice of the mining sector in Nova Scotia. Our membership spans individual prospectors and consultants through to the province’s biggest producers. Our main areas of focus are on government relations, pushing for an improved regulatory and policy environment from the provincial government, and on public relations, helping to build the industry’s social acceptance in Nova Scotia. How does the industry contribute to Nova Scotia’s economy?
There has been mining activity in the province for over four centuries. Today, the sector employs 3,000 people from a total population of around 1 million, making it an important industry for Nova Scotia, particularly in rural areas. Mining is the highest-paying resource industry here, with an average total compensation of around CA$102,000 per year. What is the current status of the industry?
Nova Scotia is a highly mineral-rich province, with gypsum, salt, coal, gold, molybdenum, tin, zinc, indium, graphite, lithium and other critical minerals. We have 12 large mines and quarries, plus a variety of critical mineral exploration activities. EDM Resources’ Scotia mine looks set to restart production of zinc, lead and gypsum in 2026, which would be the province’s first modern critical mineral mine. Beyond geology, what else can Nova Scotia offer mining operations?
Our province is strong on infrastructure and has great potential in tidal energy. There is no need for ‘fly-in, fly-out’ operations or remote camps. The province has a very highly educated workforce – we have more universities per capita in Nova Scotia than anywhere else in Canada. What progress has been made in your work with the provincial government?
The Government of Nova Scotia is a terrific partner. Most notably, in 2025 the Government repealed the province’s uranium ban.