British Columbia’s mineral and coal production is a major pillar of the province’s economy and the raw materials mined right here in B.C. – like coal, copper, gold, lead and zinc – are needed to produce many of the consumer products British Columbians rely on in their daily lives, the Ministry of Energy and Mines noted in a pre-Christmas news release.

However, it can sometimes be difficult to grasp just how important the mineral exploration and mining industry is to the province’s economy, pointed out Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines and Kootenay East MLA.

“B.C. is rich in high-quality mineral resources and it’s these resources that make up the crucial components of our province’s economy and our holiday season. Even though the mineral exploration and mining industry takes up less than 1% of B.C.’s land base, virtually every British Columbian is touched by the products of this industry every day,” said the Cranbrook resident.

The value of B.C.’s mineral and coal production in 2015 was $5.9 billion, a number worth putting into perspective, so here are a few ways to visualize just how much that is worth this holiday season:

Decking the halls? At an average of about $40 for a 1.8-metre (six-foot) real Christmas tree, $5.9 billion would be the equivalent of approximately 147.5 million trees.

Taking the family for a winter skate? At an average of about $200 for a new pair of skates, $5.9 billion would be the equivalent of approximately 29.5 million skaters!

Curling up to your favourite holiday movie? At an average of about $500 for a 50 inch flat screen television, $5.9 billion would be the equivalent of approximately 11.8 million TVs.

Cooking a turkey for your loved ones? At an average of about $25 for a 5.4-kilogram (12-pound) fresh turkey, $5.9 billion would be the equivalent of approximately 236 million turkey dinners.

B.C.’s resources not only supply B.C.’s economy and holiday cheer, they also help supply more than 30,000 British Columbians with well-paying jobs in mineral exploration, mining and related sectors – providing an average annual salary and benefits of more than $110,000, the ministry related.

There are many British Columbians who would lose quite a bit of joy this holiday season if it weren’t for workers in the mineral exploration and mining industry and the hundreds of spin-off jobs that employ British Columbians thanks to the mineral exploration and mining industry, Bennett said.

“This holiday season, let’s remember that the benefits of responsible resource development are widely shared, and hit closer to home than many may realize,” he said.

See some more examples on how mined resources help build B.C.

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