How logistics, infrastructure and equipment access are shaping mining operations across Canada and the U.S.
The mining industry in Canada and the U.S. is kicking into high gear, largely driven by global demand for precious and critical minerals. It’s a sector that feeds into nearly every industrial supply chain, which makes it increasingly important to understand where it happens, what is being produced, and how operations work.
Within the mining industry, location is everything. It determines both the resource being mined and how accessible the site is. Access, like location, is also critical as it directly impacts how quickly equipment can be delivered and products can reach market. Mining sites are often remote or clustered around specific commodities, which places significant pressure on planning and logistics to keep a wide range of equipment, systems and fleets operating efficiently.
That said, even the most isolated mines don’t operate in a vacuum. Mines are part of a much larger network of sites, operations and supply chains. Seeing that bigger picture creates opportunities to connect different mines and move equipment and parts between operations.
That broader view changes how mining companies think about assets and deployment between operations. Instead of treating equipment as being fixed to a single site, it becomes something that can be moved where it’s needed most. Redeploying existing assets between sites allows operations to stay flexible, reduce downtime and avoid the unnecessary lead times often tied to new equipment.
Supporting the Mining Sector’s Growth
In 2024, Canada produced more than 60 minerals and metals with production valued at tens of billions of dollars and mineral exports exceeding $150 billion, according to Natural Resources Canada. In the United States, non-fuel mineral production is also valued in the tens of billions annually, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Statistics Canada projects the sector to reach a new record of $5.1 billion in capital expenditures on machinery and equipment in 2026.
That growth shows up on the ground pretty quickly. As mines continue to be built, equipment availability needs to keep up with timelines. With increasing pressure on new equipment manufacturing, repurposing existing assets starts to look like a practical alternative to long lead times. Across North America, more operations are leaning on what’s already available. That puts a lot more focus on access, asset readiness, and the ability to move equipment between sites.
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Mapping Out Minerals
Gold in Canada & the U.S.A.
Gold remains a leading exploration target in Canada, with Ontario and Quebec together accounting for the majority of national production in recent years. Canadian Malartic, operated by Agnico Eagle, and Detour Lake in Ontario are among the country’s largest producing gold mines. Canadian Malartic and Detour Lake are relatively easy to access, while another large Canadian gold mine, Musselwhite, is a fly-in, fly-out underground operation deep in northwestern Ontario.
Access to mining sites directly impacts how equipment is sourced, repaired, and replaced. What works for a road-accessible operation doesn’t always translate to a remote site where every shipment needs to be planned, staged, and timed, as seen in the Musselwhite example.
A similar pattern of gold mines appears in the U.S., where Nevada produced the majority of U.S. gold production, with Alaska contributing a smaller share. Access in Nevada remains easier, while Alaska, similar to Canada’s remote sites, poses a greater challenge.
Diamond Mines in Canada
In 2024, Canadian mines produced 13.3 million carats of rough diamonds. Mining in remote northern regions operates under a completely different set of logistical realities that directly impact how operations are planned and executed.
Mines around Lac de Gras still depend on short seasonal freight windows because of ice roads and limited access. Ekati relies on the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road, approximately 400 kilometres in length, much of which crosses frozen terrain, typically open only from early February to late March.
The importance of precise planning and execution was evident in 2024, when a warm winter delayed the opening of the road by about two weeks.
Lenmark has seen these challenges firsthand at Diavik with Rio Tinto and at De Beers’ Snap Lake Mine, where it supported the decommissioning and redeployment of equipment. The team navigated ice roads, coordinated freight planes, and managed complex logistics, giving Lenmark a clear sense of what it takes to get the job done right. Redeploying these assets has helped reduce waste and costs by extending the life of equipment that would otherwise be managed or disposed of on-site. Lenmark takes pride in knowing that some of the equipment from Diavik and Snap Lake has ended up at mining operations around the world, even as far as Australia.
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| Lenmark Decomissioning Snap Lake Diamond Mine 10/23/2023 | |
Saskatchewan’s Uranium & Potash
Canada remained the world’s largest potash producer in 2024, accounting for about one-third of global production, with all active potash mines located in Saskatchewan. The province also accounts for all current Canadian uranium production, which puts Saskatchewan in a unique position as a key player in both agriculture and energy.
The McArthur River–Key Lake operation is one of the world’s largest high-grade uranium mining and milling complexes. Also in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin, Cigar Lake ranks among the largest uranium mines globally.
On the potash side, as of 2022, operations like Rocanville and Esterhazy are among the largest in the world and reflect a similar level of scale.
Mining operations at this scale are complex and often run continuously, requiring frequent maintenance and monitoring. Potash and uranium mines share many similarities in how they’re built and operated. Many run deep underground, often reaching depths of up to 1 km, and use conventional shaft mining methods. The main difference between these types of mines is access, with uranium mines tending to be more remote, while Saskatchewan’s potash mines are generally easier to access through established infrastructure.
Nickel & Iron-Ore in Canada & the U.S.A.
Nickel and iron-ore corridors exist across a wider geography. Raglan is off-grid and generates its own power. Mary River is one of the northernmost mines in the world and trucks ore over a 100-kilometre tote road before shipping during the ice-free season. The Iron Ore Company of Canada operates an integrated mine, rail, and port system, moving product to customers around the world.
The U.S. has its own version of that reality with Alaska’s Red Dog mine. This remote mine depends on a 88.5-kilometre road to port and a marine shipping window of roughly 100 ice-free days each year.
What stands out here is how much of the equipment and systems overlap across sites and commodities. Crushing circuits, conveyors, pumps, motors, and electrical systems are not unique to one type of mine. They are shared across iron, nickel, and other mineral processing operations.
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| Lenmark Mining Map 2026 Download a High-Resolution Version of the Map |
Why these current mining trends matter
Paul Mitchell, EY’s Global Mining & Metals Leader, says operational complexity is now the sector’s top risk and opportunity. It is driven by deeper and more complex orebodies, aging assets, labour shortages, infrastructure bottlenecks, and the need to restore predictability through maintenance discipline and better alignment between planning and execution.
As highlighted in the “Mapping out Minerals” section of this article, complexity across gold, diamond, potash, uranium and iron-ore operations shows up in different ways, from remote access and seasonal logistics to continuous processing systems and infrastructure-heavy operations. Challenges vary by site, but all mines are dealing with equipment maintenance, repair, and turnover, meaning operations need a fast and reliable way to respond.
At the same time, demand is growing, and global supply chains are becoming less predictable and more prone to disruption. This creates a frustrating challenge for mine operators in the years ahead.
The ability to solve the next equipment problem without creating a second one depends on being able to source beyond one channel, move equipment through complex logistics, and install components that are inspected, traceable, and ready for service. In remote mining, timing, speed, and planning ahead matter more than in most other industrial environments.
Can redeploying gear really help?
Gold, nickel, potash, uranium, and diamond mines all have different operating environments. But many of the same equipment needs, systems, and procurement challenges exist between these operations.
Mining, mineral processing, ground engagement, and peripheral sectors like mine construction and material handling all rely on overlapping equipment, infrastructure, and support systems.
Equipment is often used across different commodities and processes and, in some cases, can be repurposed from other industries. Many parts and components are also purchased in advance to address logistical challenges, leaving surplus inventory that can be redeployed to other sites, even after operations have ceased.
That overlap creates a real opportunity. Much of the equipment used across mining is transferable and already exists in the field. Instead of relying only on new equipment, operations can tap into existing inventory that is already available and ready to move.
With access to job sites, mines, and manufacturing across North America and beyond, we can source parts, components, and assets for both new and legacy equipment and systems that would otherwise need to be decommissioned and replaced. Decommissioning and disposal can be time-consuming and costly, and replacements are often tied to long lead times. Instead, we can help get the right piece into your operation and get you back up and running to spec, meeting your requirements and reducing downtime.
Partnering with Lenmark
Lenmark acts as an extension of your operation, supporting sourcing, logistics, and procurement across complex environments. The team at Lenmark takes a practical, solution-based approach to strategic sourcing, service procurement, and MRO management, focusing on credible equipment with a proven track record so you know it will get the job done.
Lenmark handles order and logistics execution with an understanding of remote sites, ice roads, and the real cost of downtime. With reach across mining sites and global inventory, Lenmark provides access to equipment and components beyond a single channel. The focus is also on efficient sourcing of in-stock equipment, meaning what is listed is available, reducing lead times and keeping your operation moving.
Source: Natural Resources Canada — Canada’s Small Modular Reactor Action Plan (natural-resources.canada.ca/)
Source: Statistics Canada — Canada’s mining sector ramps up spending to power electric vehicles (2026) (www.statcan.gc.ca/)
Source: Natural Resources Canada — Diamond Facts (2026) (natural-resources.canada.ca/)
Source: Natural Resources Canada — Potash facts (2024) (natural-resources.canada.ca/)
Source: U.S. Geological Survey — Mineral Commodity Summaries (2024) (pubs.usgs.gov)
Source: EY — Top 10 business risks and opportunities for mining and metals (www.ey.com)
Source: Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road — About the Winter Road (jvtcwinterroad.ca/about/)