In many ways, Australia and Canada are remarkably similar.
Aside from the obvious difference in hemispheres and the 14–19 hour time difference, the two countries have federal parliamentary systems of government, a similar British colonial history, and predominately English-speaking populations.
Perhaps that’s why so many Canadians find themselves living in Australia, and Aussies vice versa.
According to the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia is home to over 50,000 Canadian-born people, while almost 47,000 Canadian residents come from Australia.
This notion is repeated in the mining industry, with more Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed companies investing in Canadian projects.
The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) says that although the two countries are “mining superpowers in their own right”, Australia and Canada have a lot in common in the mining and resources space.
In a publication by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), IMARC says the two countries are recognised as the world’s two largest exploration destinations by dollar value.
Australia and Canada are supplying a significant number of resources required for the global energy transition, spearheaded by critical minerals such as lithium, copper, nickel, and uranium.
Australia is ranked number two for the world’s copper resources, with the country’s largest mine producing 223,000 tonnes of copper in 2025, according to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources’ (DISR) Resources and Energy Quarterly: June 2026.
Meanwhile in 2024, Canadian mines produced 514,582 tonnes of copper in concentrate. Nearly half of that copper originated from British Columbia.
In Australia specifically, CGN Resources (ASX:CGR) is targeting copper and nickel at its Webb Project in Western Australia.
Webb sits in the Aileron province of the West Arunta Orogen and is considered ‘highly prospective’ for iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG)-style mineralisation and nickel sulphide mineralisation.
In April 2026, CGN Resources unveiled ‘highly encouraging’ samples from the project.
Earlier this month, the company completed a maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at the Christmas Well Project, also in Western Australia.
CGN Resources completed 15 RC holes for 2,093m across four priority gold targets including Ox Tongue, Lambs Fry, Sweetbread, and Rocky Mountain Oyster.
CGN Resources is a mineral explorer focused on discovering copper, gold, nickel, and critical minerals in Western Australia.
Spreading wings
For Rapid Critical Metals (ASX:RCM), it wasn’t the country that drew the company in, but the Prophet River Project’s grades.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, Managing Director Byron Miles says the company’s move into British Columbia was driven by the project’s potential for critical minerals.
“The grades that we have of germanium and gallium are globally significant, so that is what drew us there, not so much the country in itself,” Miles tells this news service.
“That being said, it’s been a pleasant surprise to see the US Government being very bullish and spending money all around the world trying to lock up those critical minerals, particularly because China has banned the export of a lot of them.
“Being closer to the US is of benefit if you find a deposit of substance.”
The Prophet River Project spans 2,110 hectares in British Columbia and is prospective for ‘high-grade’ zinc, gallium, and germanium.
The project is located proximal to the historical Cay mine and has demonstrated some of the “highest recorded germanium values globally, alongside significant gallium grades”, Rapid Critical Metals says.
For Rapid Critical Metals, Prophet River sits within a 1km mineralised system that is defined by soil anomalies and remains open in both directions.
Historical results from Prophet River include up to 22.69% zinc, 40 grams per tonne gallium, and 1,500 parts per million germanium.
China is reported to have a near-total monopoly over gallium production, accounting for around 98% of the world’s primary supply, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Differences in exploration
As an Australian explorer, Rapid Critical Metals Managing Director Miles says the main difference between mining in the two countries is the seasons.
In Australia, mining operations generally continue year-round, although they can occasionally face disruptions from seasonal events.
The story is different for Canada.
Miles says the exploration season in British Columbia only spans around three to four months before the weather disrupts mining operations.
“They’ve got a lot of other considerations, whether it’s caribou season, moose season, duck season — whatever season you can think of,” Miles adds.
“That would be the biggest difference when it comes to getting drilling permits in place. The First Nations in British Columbia also hold a lot of weight.
“In Australia, we can almost explore or mine year-round. In British Columbia, we’ve found it is a little different because of the weather, and permitting has been a little bit tricky for us.
“Both countries are tremendously mineral-rich in very similar ways, whether it’s lead, zinc, silver, or gold. Both have substantial output in that regard.
“Apart from the seasons, I think the countries are probably not too dissimilar.”
Forget the country, focus on the deposit
Although Canada has delivered positives for Rapid Critical Metals, Miles says the priority is finding an economical deposit.
“Being closer to the US, which has a massive thirst for those minerals, is an advantage. If they don’t have to be shipped as far, then of course that makes more sense,” he tells Mining.com.au.
“I think, due to the demand for critical metals, everyone is looking everywhere for them. It’s not so much about the country; it’s about where you can find an economical deposit with the right amount of tonnage and grade.
“We build mines which are 5,000m up in the air, and we build ones which are 2,000m underground. So it’s not so entirely country-related. It’s about finding that unique deposit.”
Albright Metals (ASX:ABR) is another Australian explorer finding value in Canada, alongside existing Australian projects.
The company has assets in Western Australia, as well as the Golden Pike Gold and Antimony Project in New Brunswick, Canada.
Albright is strategically focused on uncovering gold and antimony mineralisation, targeting New Brunswick for its “long history of successful antimony mining and processing”.
In June 2026, the company completed its second milestone payment for the acquisition of Golden Pike, as reported by Mining.com.au.
Albright paid C$100,000 ($100,896) in cash and C$200,000 worth of shares as part of the second payment, under the deal with Globex Mining Enterprises (TSX:GMX).
Albright Metals is a mineral explorer focused on antimony, copper, gold, lithium, and manganese across Australia and Canada.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash & Rapid Critical Metals
