While the mining industry isn’t the first thing that pops into my mind when I’m scrolling through Instagram, consulting AI tools, or even just streaming my favourite songs while cooking dinner, it’s quietly what makes modern life work.
From its everyday applications to supplying critical resources to companies like Nvidia, the first company to ever hit a $5 trillion market valuation, the influence of the mining industry spans across nearly every facet of our lives and is a cornerstone of the future.
It’s been exciting for me, a young Canadian who finds himself immersed in a world defined by AI innovation, green technologies, and life-saving advancements, to see Canada’s commitment to the future of its people through the development of Canadian mining. Billions are being invested in bolstering Canada’s critical minerals value chain and billions more are made in revenue from existing mines across the country.
As someone who cares about economics, finance, and politics, I find that the news I consume online can seem abstract or disconnected from the real experiences in my life. That is, the fast-paced, algorithmic digital media landscape tends to approach these issues in a lofty way that’s somewhat removed from everyday Canadians. But as I’ve become more familiar with the omnipresence of mining in our daily lives, I’ve come to realize that many of these stories are in fact grounded in the more tangible and stable mining industry.
Especially as a Canadian, mining in my experience has acted as a bridge between the seemingly distant global markets and systems, and the daily lives of ordinary people.
For example, I read about the top 10 companies by market cap in the S&P 500, a list led by Nvidia, made up of other tech giants like Apple and Meta, and often comprising nearly 40% of the total market cap of the S&P 500, and can’t help but think about the minerals and metals that are absolutely essential to their success. Nvidia’s chips enable Canadians to use A.I, animate movies, study medicine, and more, and it is technologies like this that power the modern world and shape much of our daily lives.
The mining sector isn’t just an essential link between innovation and Canadians, but also deeply tied to Canada’s global security and our ability to navigate what feels like a progressively chaotic geopolitical world.
In the 2025 NATO summit, member nations committed to increase defence spending to 5% of their GDP – a 3% increase from commitments made just over 10 years ago. This strengthening of defence capabilities means more for Canadians than just higher spending and new planes or tanks; at the core of modern security is, and increasingly will be, secure access to the critical minerals and materials that help us protect our safety, economy, and way of life.
Beyond conversations about global security and technology, Canada’s investment in mining has a real impact here in Canada as well.
Particularly, many of Canada’s mining initiatives now emphasize real partnership with, and participation of, Indigenous communities. Through ownership options, diversified investments, and royalty agreements, Canadian mining is an opportunity for Indigenous communities to build wealth and further enhance their sovereignty on their own terms. Nations Royalty, the largest majority Indigenous-owned public company in Canada, manages royalty agreements and helps ensure that the benefits of the mining industry are shared with the people that support it. It’s an excellent example of the potential for these communities to shape the future of the industry.
The growth and importance of Canadian mining also sets the stage for young Canadians who are looking to break into the job market – an often-frustrating endeavour that I, as a young Canadian myself – know all too well. Across the entire value chain, from labour to logistics, there are so many opportunities for new workers of all backgrounds to participate in the mining industry and to build Canada’s future.
In all, the opportunity we share as Canadians is tremendous, and at a time when news headlines are packed with tech progress, global conflicts, and economic uncertainty, mining provides our country and our communities with a secure, innovative, and exciting pathway into the future.
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