Evening star., 1940-12-15
Conudu's S Mineral Wealth
Helps Britoin's Defense
By Frederic J. Hnski1,.

Englands ever-increasing demand for
important metals is helping Canada to
solve her unemployment problem and
greatly adding to the Dominion's wealth.
Although England has always looked to
Canada for a major portion of her
metals, the homeland is now almost de-
pendent upon her largest dominion for
these needs.
Great Britain Is large producer Of
coal, iron and steel, and Scotland and
Wales add some of these along with q
limited supply Of copper, but other min
erals needed in industry and war are
scarce. So, under England's pressure
Of war, Canada not only serves her as
a huge bread basket, but fills a need
equally as pressing-that Of supplying
millions of dollars worth of metals to
keep England's industrial wheels moving
and her war machine up to the best
possible standard
It is fortunate for England and vital
to Canada's wealth that the latter has
extensive mineral reserves and active
mines producing large quantities of gold,
silver, nickel, lead, copper, tin and zinc.
The absence of a tariff on metals shipped
from the Dominion to England makes the
situation even more advantageous to
both governments.
Canada's mining history is as engag-
ing as it's present importance to Eng
land. 1t is a series of chapters Of ex-
panding mineral production. In 1885
the value of Canada's mineral output
was only 1900, 900, but 10 years later
this amount had doubled, and the fol-
lowing decade saw the new figure multi
piled two and one-half times. There has
been a gradual increase each year since,
and present war demands are expected
to cause the. high peak of industry to
come during 1941. More than 80 per
cent of Canadas output of metals Is
exported, England now receiving the
lions. share.
The Dominion's mines are now produce
ing about 81 100000 in new wealth each
working day. Payments for labor and
supplies approximate s200.000,000 annu-
ally, while some 100000 Canadians are
employed directly and many additional
Thousands indirectly in mining, milling,
smelling, refining and shipping the metal
wealth of the country. There are other
advantages, for down the mines go
thousands OF carloads of timber yearly,
while hundreds of cars of ore come up
each day, spreading work and wealth
in many directions.
Canada's most valuable metal export
is gold. In belt stretching 900 miles,
from Northwestern Quebec to Winnipeg,
total of about $100,00o0Oo worth Of
gold from more than 20 localities is pro.
duced each year. Beyond this belt is q
wide stretch of territory in which the
first attempts launched to establish min
ing camps still farther north are meeting
with success. These efforts are expected
to be productive and to gain in intensity
as the demand for gold increases.
OF great strategic value is Canadas
output of nickel. 1t accounts for four
times as much as the rest of the worlds
production. Nickel from Canadian ores
largely monopolizes the numerous indus.
trial markets for that base metal. In
addition, Canada ranks third in world
output of copper and zinc, and fourth In
lead. The annual silver and zinc pro.
ductions alone now exceed $500 ,000-and
the industries are considered compare
lively young.
Among the non-metallic minerals pro-
duced in Canada is asbestos. Expansion
of this has increased greatly in recent
years For example, in 1884 there were
$4,000 tons of asbestos produced at
value of s4,936326, but by the close Of
1889 this had increased to a tonnage Of
1000 with a value of more than s15,-
100000. There are large deposits OF
cobalt and the tonnage of this is also
increasing each year.
! Canada is still land of the pros
/ pector. These scouts each year bring
back information that prompts renewed
efforts on the part of capital to trans
form much of the country's wilderness
into possession of national Importance.
The cost to develop mine is heavy, but
the rewards have been great for In
vestors and advantageous to the Cana
dian government. The annual exports Of
primary metallic mineral products now
realize enough to meet almost thirds
Of the yearly interest and dividend pay
ments on all Canadian securities held
abroad, making mining a vital factor in
Canadian national life AS a further
example, discovery Of gold and other
metals in one area few years ago has
resulted in the production of some $780,
900 900 in new wealth and the emer-
gence Of prosperous town, which still
survives on the industry. There are
many like instances.
One Of Canada's chief problems, how
ever, Is lack Of railways in many SEQ
tions and adequate revenue for estab-
nshed lines, but the problem would be
greater in the absence OF the mining
industry. Mines, prospectors and syn
dicates pay about s12,0O0,000 freight
bill each year for deliveries of machinery.
mining supplies, timber and coal. The
mines purchase coal from the east,
timber from the west, and ship metals
to the seaboard or border points for
export.
The Dominion Bureau Of Statistics
estimates that out Of the SO 600, 900 tons
representing the entire volume Of
revenue bearing freight carried BY
Canadian railways last year, the prod