Myths & Misconceptions

“Mining is a sunset industry that isn’t relevant anymore.”

Without metals and minerals, there would be no electricity, plumbing and modern heating, no planes, trains or automobiles, no steel, concrete or glass, no cooking utensils, canned goods or modern appliances, no farming, fishing or construction tools, no televisions, phones or computers, and no protection from the forces of nature. Civilizations would collapse as our world’s population could not be sustained.

“Mining isn’t a traditional aboriginal activity.”

Aboriginal peoples were Canada’s first prospectors and miners. Copper mining and trading existed 6,000 years ago in the Lake Superior area of Ontario and expanded to other areas over time. Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories, derives its name from a small tribe of Athabascan Indians who used yellow copper to make knives and other tools for personal use or trade. The “Copper Inuit” living further north in the Central Arctic were so named because of their extensive use and trade of tools and artifacts made from the native copper deposits of the region.

Aboriginal people on the Pacific Coast developed and mined extensive chert (flint) beds to make various objects 4,000 years ago. High-grade silver deposits were mined in various regions long before the arrival of the First European explorers. Aboriginal guides helped discover many of our nation’s important mines and mineral districts, including the first gold nugget triggering the Klondike Gold Rush of the early 1900s.

“Mining harms the environment.”

Mining harms the environment if done in a reckless manner without regard for waterways, air quality, wildlife and vegetation. Historic mines have a legacy of environmental damage because they operated at a time when metals, jobs and economic benefits were valued more than pristine wilderness. Society’s values have changed and so have mining practices. New mine projects face a rigorous permitting process in which environmental protection and community acceptance are paramount. Mining temporarily alters the environment, as does all human activity, but should not harm the surrounding environment if mines are designed and operated to the highest standards. Most modern mines operate without damaging the environment and are continually monitored after closure and reclamation.

“Mining is a brute-force, low-tech industry.”

British Columbia has earned its status as an international center of mining and exploration excellence based on geological expertise, technological innovation and by adopting the highest environmental, social and safety standards in the world. Exploration involves airborne geophysical surveys capable of detecting mineralized bodies at great depths (up to 1 km) or below heavy rock cover, remote sensing such as satellite imagery, and 3-D modeling to define deposits. In the development stage, engineers develop mine plans using computer-aided design (CAD) programs and prepare multi-disciplinary feasibility studies examining all aspects of the mine plan, including environmental safeguards. BC open-pit mines use some of largest haul-trucks in the world (with capacities of up to 350 tonnes) driven by highly skilled operators. Remote-controlled equipment is used in underground mines, while mills and processing plants rely on sophisticated electronic systems for quality control. Environmental monitoring is an important knowledge-based aspect of the industry.

“Working in mines is dangerous.”

Working in mines was dangerous a century ago and still is dangerous in many parts of the world. In British Columbia, mining is the safest heavy industry in the province. This achievement was earned over decades through technical innovation, including new mining methods that reduced the potential for underground rockbursts and better drilling and ventilation systems to reduce health risks. Another factor is the industry’s ongoing commitment to achieve zero fatalities and lost-time incidents by implementing stringent safety measures at every stage of the mine cycle, based on the principle that “the most important thing to come out of a mine are the miners”.

“Miners toil in small, dark underground tunnels”

Most of BC’s largest and longest-lived mines are open-pit operations where ore is extracted by blasting and hauled to a mill by large trucks. Over the life of a typical underground mine, more people work above ground than below ground because of the lengthy process — usually 10 years or more — to explore, develop, plan, permit and construct a mine. Detailed technical and environmental studies and community consultation are essential during this stage. During operations, ore is processed in surface plants. Other surface activities include reclamation programs that continue into the closure phase. Working in underground mines is not for everyone, but it’s not the backbreaking toil that it used to be before mechanization was introduced. Most underground mines in BC are highly mechanized and highly productive. Skilled underground miners are well paid, and make well in excess of $100,000 yearly.

“Mining, particularly open-pit mining, disturbs vast amounts of lands.”

Exploration requires a large land base in order to find hidden mineral deposits, yet has a very light footprint because prospective and mineralized areas are often first detected by government and private-sector airborne geophysical surveys. Once a mineral deposit is found, development and subsequent mining are limited to very small areas. The total land used by all BC mines, including large open-pit mines, is less than 28,000 hectares, or less than 0.03% of the province’s land base.

“The mining industry doesn’t pay well or need new workers.”

Mining is the highest paying and one of the fastest growing industries in BC. The average salary in BC’s mining and minerals exploration sector was $101,900 in 2007, up from $99,900 in 2006, including benefits. An estimated 92,000 new workers will be needed to meet current and future industry needs across Canada over the next decade. BC alone needs an estimated 15,000 additional workers over this same period, with an estimated 7,500 new job openings expected through to 2012.

“The mining industry offers only menial jobs for Aboriginal applicants.”

BC’s mining and minerals exploration sector offers Aboriginal applicants a diverse range of job and career opportunities, from entry-level jobs to professional and management positions, depending on your qualifications. You can also “earn while you learn” through on-the-job training programs or trade apprenticeships. Many mines and exploration projects have preferential hiring practices so that nearby Aboriginal communities benefit most from employment and business opportunities.

OPPORTUNITY • TRAINING • RESULTS

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