Yukon Mining Industry

Mineral exploration in the Yukon has a long history of discoveries dating back to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.

The territory boasts over 80 mineral resource deposits and 2,600 mineral occurrences on mining claims that cover a mere 3.6 per cent of the Yukon's total area and this extraordinary potential has lured prospectors, miners and development companies to the territory for well over 100 years.

Today, the Yukon's significant deposits of gold, silver, copper, tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, lead, zinc, iron ore and coal continue to ignite exploration thorughout the territory and a number of projects are on the cusp of development and production.

In 2009 alone, mining and exploration directly contributed over $200 million to the Yukon economy and directly employed over XXX.

Bolstered by 4,700 kilometers of all-weather roads, an international airport in Whitehorse, 10 community airports, access to two ice-free ports, a territory-wide broadband telecommunications network and a strong service and supply sector - mining and exploration in the Yukon are firmly positioned at the forefront of the industry.

As mining and exploration move forward, settled First Nation land claims and regulatory certainty - paired with the industry's own best management practices and respect for the environmental, social, cultural and economic values of the Yukon  - poise the industry to build upon its rich and storied past toward unparalleled opportunity.