The Canadian mining industry is a pillar of the Canadian economy, employing nearly 373,000 workers in exploration and development, mining and quarrying, support services, and mineral processing. British Columbia (BC) is internationally recognized as a centre of expertise in mining, metallurgy, environmental engineering, mine safety, and geoscience. The province is home to the world’s largest concentration of exploration companies and mining professionals. Additionally, the province is Canada’s largest exporter of metallurgical coal and one of the county’s largest copper producers, as well as a significant producer of gold, silver, lead, and zinc. BC is also a hub for stone, sand and gravel mining, and quarrying, due to increased demand from the construction industry with 675 active gravel mines in the province. The Kootenay
Development Region contains 4.8% of the mining facilities in BC. In 2016, $37.4 million was spent on exploration related activities for 62 projects in the region (see Mining Labour Market Profile).