One of the sectors of the national economy that most attracts the interest of Canadian companies is mining. This is due not only to the rich exploration opportunities found in Brazil, but also to the high level of organization of the Canadian mining industry. Some of the world’s largest players in the industry are from Canada, and the need for such companies to have accurate information on the business environment in Brazil, changes in their mining legislation, and data on economic trends are crucial to the success of business.

For this reason, the CCBC Mining Commission (CM) serves as a discussion forum for a number of companies – most of which are Canadian mining companies, but also include other players in the industry. The main demands and needs of the sector are identified, developing a common agenda and creating opportunities for capturing and attracting Canadian investments to Brazil, as well as sharing good practices and experiences. In addition, CM’s mission is to disseminate knowledge and enable the exchange of experiences and good practices among its members, becoming a reference as a representative of the Canadian mineral sector in Brazil.

The Commission organizes periodic meetings and seminars, as well as participating in the most important events in the sector, such as the Exposibram Fair in Brazil and PDAC in Canada.

The mining sector is one of the biggest contributors to Canada’s economy. Its importance can be inferred from the strong performance of its companies in the Canadian capital market – now considered the main trading spot for mining companies in the world. In Toronto, the TSX (Toronto Stock Exchange) and TSXV (TSX Venture Exchange) exchanges accounted for 59% of the global mining sector financing in 2017 – and nearly 56 million shares of the sector were traded, totaling CAD$ 206 billion.

During the international commodity boom, in the past decade, its role was very relevant to capitalize on the sector: According to data from the Ontario Mining Association, between 1999 and 2009, 80% of all mining financing in the world went through the two exchanges – and 36% of the total capital stock raised globally in the sector. In May 2018, TSX and TSXV had 1,205 listed companies in the industry, which traded in the previous twelve months CAD$ 70.74 billion.

In Brazil, mining has been an important economic activity since the colonial period – already in the seventeenth century expeditions were promoted in search of valuable metals and precious stones. Due to its great diversity of geological formations, the country has varied mineral resources, which cover 23 metallic, 45 nonmetallic and 4 energetic substances. There are more than 9,400 mines currently under concession, with the largest 154 mines producing up to 1 million tons per year. The Brazilian mineral sector had a turnover of US$ 32 billion, and exported more than 400 million tons, in the year 2017.