Introducing the Minerals of Mining
Every mineral has a tale to tell. Click on the images to learn their stories. Follow us on Twitter to catch each #MineralsOfMining reveal.
Discover interesting facts about mining and minerals on the Learn About Mining page.
Gold
"When I'm not volunteering at the food bank, I like donating to charities or spreading awareness about fake gold scams. People tell me I'm the noblest metal they know. But I don't let it get to my head – I'm still just known as 24K to my friends and family back home."
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Fool's Gold (pyrite)
The mineral I was dating had mistaken me for my twin brother, Gold, all this time. She left me while saying something about how all that glitters is not gold. This break up has left me a brittle mineral – I'm such a fool for love.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Potash
My family started 'Potash Farms' generations ago. We came from humble beginnings, but now we're the cream of the crop thanks to our specialty fertilizers. Being so successful has allowed me to enjoy the finer things in life - my friends are starting to call me 'posh-ash.'
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Nickel
I have a lot of close friends. You could call them my alloys. I used to worry that they only stuck around for the money, but that just does not make cents.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Uranium
Life has been good to me. I find I have a lot of energy to keep up with my nuclear family. However, I do need time away so my relationship with my family doesn't get toxic. That's why I'm taking the weekend off to go fission.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Graphite
I get that 'graphite pencil' does not have the same ring to it, but I still cannot believe so many people are lead astray. I get that people call me nerdy for caring about this, but I can stand up to the heat! If I let the pressure get to me, I'll end up like my cousin, diamond, who looks bright but is actually quite dense.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Limestone
I have a lot of hobbies, especially for a sedimentary rock. Cooking is my favourite, though. Most people can't take the heat and pressure in kitchens, but I love to be in there – it keeps me from losing my marbles.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Quartz
We met at yoga, and of-quartz it was love at first sight. Lately, though, things have been on the rocks and communication between us hasn't been crystal clear. But alas, the quartz of true love never did run smooth.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Titanium
When I was young and rebellious I tried out for a lot of metal bands, but I am pretty difficult to cast. Luckily, I found my true passion through the city's 'transition metal' program. Now I'm a celebrity personal trainer – they call me 'tight-tanium.'
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Corundum
I still have a lot of things to figure out. Part of me wants to drop everything and pursue a fancy life in the gemstone industry. I know I've got what it takes – I can take the heat. But deep down I know I'm a small town mineral at heart – it's all quite the corundum.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
Sulphur
I was watching a fire performance and the minerals around me told me not to get too close. I wanted to show them that I could take the heat and before you know it, my mineral odour was out of this world. It's terrible. Now I smell like rotten eggs all the time. I'll sulphur the consequences for the rest of my life.
Learn more and decide my future at The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan
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