A number of websites provide specific information on the mining industry in Canada and around the globe. InfoMine provides a powerful search engine to search both companies and mine properties. Basic information is free, additional information is available for a fee. Minesite.com is an international site of news and corporate information on the mining industry. The Northern Miner is a global mining online newspaper.
The Canadian Mining Journal focuses on Canadian-based mining. Natural Resources Canada also provides basic information on the Minerals and Metal Sector in Canada, including mining tax regimes. Each year, it conducts a comprehensive review of the developments in the minerals and metals industries and publishes the results in the Canadian Minerals Yearbook. Most provinces and territories have their own mining departments which post information on line, including specific information on geological maps, mining claims, operating mines and abandoned mines.
Most mining companies in Canada belong to the The Mining Association of Canada. Their Annual Report on the Canadian Mining Industry, based on data collected by Natural Resources Canada, provides an excellent overview.
Prospecting and exploration companies are usually members of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), which provides their position on many issues. Most provinces and territories have their own associations of mining companies and/or exploration companies. In British Columbia for example, theirs is the Mining Association of BC as well as the Association of Mineral Exploration BC (AMEBC).
It is important to remember that 80% of precious metals and many industrial commodities are traded on the commodities market on the London Metal Exchange, which enables the LME to set prices. These Commodity and Metal Prices are available from InvestmentMine. Chromium, iron ore and coking coal do not have their prices set by the LME. The price for these commodities is determined by long-term contracts with industrial consumers that are swapped through other commodities exchanges. metals.about.com provides excellent information on how metal markets work as well as market analysis.
In addition to these general websites on the mining and resources extraction industry, there are a number of publications focusing on specific precious metals and commodities. Most metals have their own associations, which provide information on processing, markets and trends. The World Gold Council, the International Copper Association, International Zinc Association, the Silver Institute, the World Nuclear Association, etc.
There are a number of activist organizations that are excellent sites for information on specific mining companies and campaigns. They include Mining Watch, Coalwatch, and Wise Uuranium, MAC: Mines and Communities and the Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean .
There are some financial characteristics of the mining industry that differ from other sectors. Since only about 1 in 10,000 mineral claims ever is developed into a producing and profitable mine, the industry has a number of companies that never show a profit. For an understanding of the basic structure of the mining industry in Canada go to Mining Watch’s Mining Investors.