ACTION CANADA PAPERS on Labrador Mining, Aboriginal Governance and Muskrat Falls - An Overview of Mining Activity in Labrador

In 2009 the contribution of mining to Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) GDP was estimated at $1,566 million (6.7%) second only to offshore oil extraction and support activities (27.5%) of industries in the goods producing sector (GNLDF 2011). Mining in NL is dominated by iron ore production in western Labrador and nickel ore production at Voisey’s Bay on Labrador’s northeast coast (Figure 1). The forecasted Gross Value of Mineral Shipments (GVMS) for 2011 for NL as a whole is $4.7 billion of which approximately $3 billion will be from iron ore and $1 billionn from nickel. Projected increases in shipments of iron ore and the opening of Labrador Iron Mines operation at the Quebec/Labrador border near Schefferville in 2011, the end of the strike at Voisey’s Bay and a general increase in commodity prices are the main contributory factors that should see the highest GVMS on record (GNL 2011).