Released on May 27, 2024
The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed May 26 to June 1 as Mining Week in Saskatchewan. This year's theme, Critical Careers for Critical Minerals, focuses on developing the next generation of talent to power this growing industry.
"I am very proud of the nearly 30,000 dedicated individuals who make up our mining and supply and services sector in this province," Energy and Resources Minister Jim Reiter said. "As Saskatchewan continues to lead the way in critical mineral development, the careers and people that drive the sector are integral to our province's success."
With nearly $13 billion in mineral sales last year, more than 20 per cent of the national total, Saskatchewan's mining industry fuels the economic growth that underpins the provincial economy. The province continues to punch above its weight nationally with mineral resource development spending projected to reach nearly $6 billion for 2024, the largest share of any province.
“Saskatchewan Mining Week provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of the exploration and mining industry to the economic growth of Saskatchewan,” SMA Chair Nathaniel Huckabay said. “The mining sector continues to be one of Saskatchewan’s pivotal economic drivers, directly employing over 11,000 people and consistently ranking among the province’s top contributors to GDP and direct government revenues.”
For the past nine out of 10 years, Saskatchewan has been ranked as the best jurisdiction in Canada and top three in the world for mining investment attractiveness, according to the Fraser Institute's annual survey of mining companies. The province remains well positioned to continue to be a major global supplier of potash and uranium, and is diversifying its resource base through development of helium, lithium, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt. Saskatchewan is on track to become one of the world's few producer-processors of rare earth elements with a first-of-its-kind in North America, minerals-to-metals rare earth processing facility coming online in 2025.
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