A comprehensive historical and geolocalized database of mining activities in Canada

This paper introduces the MinCan database that presents mine-level estimates for the Canadian mining industry with a persistent annual coverage between 1950 and 2022. These estimates are based on archival maps and a selection of historical sources, which follows a hierarchy of criteria-based credibility and standardization. The information contained in MinCan covers 947 mines and provides information about their location (longitude and latitude in decimal), the company ownership, the principal commodities produced, and the years of operation (opening and closing dates). It is the first open access database to propose an exhaustive, free, and reliable compilation of the principal past and present mines producing in Canada. The geographic coordinates enable matching with other local, regional, and national databases, and allow for a wide range of research objectives to be met.