Mining Country

Book excerpt: 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.