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It's Your Turn
Current Consultations
Consultations on Services Trade Negotiations
Online Questionnaire for Canadian Businesses
Mining Services
Background Information:
Canadian mining companies are involved in more than 6,100 projects at all stages of the mineral resource development and mining process in over 100 countries around the world. Canadian firms, along with those from Australia, Germany, Sweden, the United States, Finland, Japan and the United Kingdom, are among the leading international suppliers of mining goods and services.
Most Canadian suppliers of specialized mining goods and services are small businesses. However, the larger firms provide most of the jobs and generate most of the revenues. Businesses with annual sales of specialized mining goods and services of less than $5 million account for about 80% of suppliers of these products, but they account for less than 20% of the total revenues derived from mining companies. Half of all suppliers of mining goods and services depend on mining companies for 50% or more of their total revenues. The smaller businesses derive a significantly greater proportion of their total revenues from mining companies than do larger ones.
In 2002, Canadian firms accounted for well over 30% of the world's total exploration spending intentions1. In mid-2000, they held interests in 150 mining, smelting or refining operations in more than 40 countries. Several of their other projects in these countries and elsewhere are either under construction or awaiting the results of a final production feasibility study. Many more are undertaking exploration.
Definition of sector in the GATS
The classification system that is used in the GATS by most WTO members, divides Mining Services into the following four categories:
- Technical testing and analysis services, including quality control and inspection;
- Services incidental to mining;
- Toll-refining services - basic metals;
- Related scientific and technical consulting services (e.g. exploration services).
What We Heard in Previous Consultations
Priority Markets
The following markets of interest that was identified in consultation with stakeholders in the sector.
First tier: Latin America - Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, as first priority, followed by Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia.
Second tier: Asia-Pacific - Australia, China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Third tier: United States
Fourth tier: Africa - South Africa, followed by Zambia, Zimbabwe, Morocco and Algeria.
Consultations also indicated commercial interest in the Russian Federation and countries of the former U.S.S.R., and stakeholders suggested that systems in these countries are in need of reform.
Market Access Barriers
Obstacles to trade identified in past consultations include the following:
- Absence of transparency for regulations and licensing;
- Restrictions on the entry and stay of mining services managers, professionals and experts;
- Restrictions on the entry and exit of equipment / tools;
- Restrictions on repatriation of profits;
- Import and export restrictions;
- Arbitrary application of regulations;
- Arbitrary business and licensing requirements.
Go directly to the Questionnaire.
1. Natural Resources Canada, Metal's Economic Group's Corporate Exploration Strategies: A Worldwide Analysis.
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