Annual Mineral Production Survey

Detailed information for 2018

The Annual Mineral Production Survey is a survey of the mining industry in Canada. It is intended to cover all establishments primarily engaged in mining or quarrying activities as well as establishments engaged in secondary business activity linked to the mining sector. Data collected from businesses are aggregated with information from other sources to produce official estimates at the national and provincial level.

Data release - February 25, 2020

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

The purpose of this annual survey is to obtain information on non-fuel mineral production data in Canada. Data are collected using many questionnaires to cover several products and refined metals.

Statistics on non-fuel mineral production are essential to support informed decision-making by the federal, provincial and territorial governments as well as the mining industry. The statistics are required by a variety of data users, including individual business firms and trade associations; municipal, provincial/territorial and federal governments; international organizations; and private citizens.

In addition, the results of this survey are used by Natural Resources Canada to conduct analysis to provide informed policy advice on investment, industrial and regional development, trade and tariff policies, as well as the development and management of natural resources.

Reference period: The calendar year

Subjects

• Environment
• Manufacturing
• Natural resources
• Non-metallic mineral and metal

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The Annual Mineral Production Survey targets all establishments engaged as a primary or a secondary activity in mining, beneficiating or otherwise preparing metallic and non-metallic minerals.

Some establishments engaged in sand & gravel and stone activities, as well as contract drilling (except oil and gas) are also surveyed.

Under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), mining establishments for this survey are classified to NAICS subsectors 212 and 213.

Instrument design

The Annual Mineral Production Survey questionnaires collect information on Canadian mining companies' non-fuel mineral production.

The survey questionnaires used for the Annual Mineral Production Survey are the Commodity Schedule and the Establishment Schedule.

The Commodity Schedule is a short form sent to firms for which mining is a secondary activity.

The Establishment Schedule is sent to firms where mining is their primary activity. They are required to complete both the Establishment Schedule and a Commodity Schedule.

Sampling

This survey is a census.

All establishments within the scope of the metallic ore mining, non-metallic mineral mining and quarrying industry in Canada are selected in this sample survey.

Half of the universe of establishments that produce sand & gravel as secondary activity is sent a survey form during the preliminary-estimates survey data collection. The second half is sent a survey during the annual survey. In addition, non-responding establishments at the preliminary survey are sent a survey form to complete during the annual survey data collection.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2019-01-31 to 2019-06-28

Data are extracted from administrative files and derived from other Statistics Canada surveys and/or other sources.

Data are collected primarily through electronic files sent by a secure mode of transmission, while providing respondents with the option of receiving a paper questionnaire, replying by telephone interview or using other electronic filing methods. Follow-up for non-response and for data validation may be conducted by telephone, mail and/or email.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s).

Error detection

Error detection is an integral part of both collection and data processing activities. Data received on survey questionnaires are subject to extensive edit processes, both by a survey officer and by automated edits within the production system. These edits identify potential errors based on year-over-year changes in key variables, totals, and ratios that exceed tolerance thresholds, as well as identify problems in the consistency of collected data (e.g. a total does not equal the sum of its parts).

When errors are found, they are corrected using the failed edit follow-up process during collection. Extreme values are also flagged as potential outliers. Following their detection, these values are reviewed in order to assess their reliability. When required, the respondent may be contacted to confirm the data. Manual review of other units may lead to additional potential outliers being identified.

In general, every effort is made to minimize duplication, misclassification, reporting and processing errors.

Imputation

Data for the Annual Mineral Production Survey are imputed to take into account partial survey data and non-response.
When non-response occurs or when reported data are considered incorrect during the error detection phase, imputation is used to fill in the missing information and/or modify the incorrect information.

Data are imputed for respondents that fail to provide critical information such as the quantity and value of mineral production for the Commodity Schedule. Likewise, imputation is used when any of the following critical information such as production, shipments, revenue, consumption data and employment data are missing from the Establishment Schedule.

Different methods of imputation may be used to complete a questionnaire, including manual changes made by an analyst after the respondent is contacted to confirm the data and pro-rating relevant historical data with or without a calculated trend.

Imputation generates a complete and coherent micro data file that covers all survey variables.

Estimation

All units in the observed population are surveyed. Estimation of totals is done by simple aggregation of the values of all units that are found in the domain of estimation. Estimates are computed for several domains of interest such as mineral groups and provinces/territories.

Quality evaluation

Most reporting and data entry errors are corrected through manual editing, automated edit checks and complex data review procedures. Strict quality control procedures are applied to ensure that collection, coding and data processing are as accurate as possible.

Checks are performed on all files received. The survey final data sets are subject to rigorous analysis to ensure comparability with patterns observed in the historical data series. In addition, mineral production statistics from various provincial and territorial departments as well as other statistical agencies are compared with mineral production aggregates from the Annual Mineral Production Survey to assess and ensure the quality and consistency of the data series.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. When necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Natural Resources Canada will continue to publish tabular results of this survey, excluding any information which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

The resulting estimates for this survey are not subject to revisions. However, while considerable efforts have been taken to ensure high standards throughout all stages of collection and processing, the estimates can be reviewed if errors in recording, coding and processing data are reported in the published estimates.

Data accuracy

To be provided when data are released.