BCBusiness
From gold to critical minerals, exploration spending highlights where B.C.’s mining sector is placing its bets.
With the Association for Mineral Exploration’s Roundup 2026—one of the industry’s largest annual gatherings—coming up in Vancouver from January 26 through 29, we’re taking a look at the state of a rocking business.
Exploration spending on different minerals in B.C., 2023-24:
There are approximately 1,100 publicly listed mineral exploration companies in B.C.
The exploration sector employed 4,143 workers in 2024, up 10% from 2023 and backed by $552 million in spending on 283 projects. Of that total, $249 million was spent exploring for gold, $225 million for critical minerals, $38 million for metallurgical (steelmaking) coal and $30 million for silver.
Most of the critical minerals exploration in 2024— 62% in terms of dollars spent—and 70% of gold activity took place in the Northwest region, accessed out of Smithers and Terrace.
Mining and exploration together support 35,000 jobs in the province, with an average annual salary of $135,000. The industry accounted for 28% of the province’s exports in 2022 and had a total economic impact worth $18 billion.
Sources: AMEBC, Mining Association of BC, Province of B.C.
Michael is a financial journalist based in the Cowichan Valley. He's a former managing editor of Canadian Business and editorial director of Canada Wide Media, BCBusiness's publisher. In 2024, he co-authored Personal Finance for Canadians for Dummies, 7th Edition (Wiley, 2024).
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