Promising Sources

The Bas-Saint-Laurent is known around the world for its rich peat resource. In addition to this resource, several other kinds of deposits appear to have significant potential. Slate has been mined for the past two years and exported primarily to Europe. Since 1987, under the first Programme d’assistance financière à la prospection minière, efforts in prospecting have identified other deposits of interest including gold in the Causapscal region and silica in the Amqui and Saint-Moïse regions.

Mineral Deposits

• Bas-Saint-Laurent peat
• Saint-Fabien barite
• Saint-Moïse limestone
• Saint-Vianney silica
• Sainte-Marguerite (near Causapscal) and Vérendry Township gold
• Saint-Marc-du-Lac-Long slate
• Kamouraska quartzite
• Bas-Saint-Laurent aggregate
• Matane copper
• lead and zinc from a 30km corridor between Esprit-Saint and Trinité-des-Mont

In 1994, 492 people were employed in the mining industry, which included approximately 20 peat producers as well as companies mining stone and gravel for construction. During the same year, total production value was more than $31 million. Close to 89% of this market value was tied to the peat industry.

Bas-Saint-Laurent Mineral Production (1994)
Production Type	Quantity	Market value	Number of Jobs
Stone	233,758 metric tons	$1,633,099	19
Sand and gravel	950,968 metric tons	NA	36
Peat	4,542,286 bags	$28,200,283	437
TOTAL		$31,717,129	492
*** Value of Mineral Shipments in 1995: $38,159,000 *** (preliminary data)
Source : Service de la statistique et de l´économie minérale du ministère de l´Énergie et des Ressources naturelles, Statistiques 1995 de l´industrie minérale du Québec, 1995.

Peat: A Multipurpose Resource

With approximately 20 peat producers, the Bas-Saint-Laurent region is a major player in the provincial industry. Total peat exploitation in the region represents 45% of the Quebec total. Ninety percent is exported, primarily to the United States and Japan. Forty countries around the world use Bas-Saint-Laurent peat especially for its horticultural, energy-providing and environmentally beneficial properties. With regard to the environment, peat is used to treat liquid waste and air, compost municipal and industrial waste and enrich farm land.

PREMIER CDN is the largest peat producer in North America. The company’s head office is located in the Bas-Saint-Laurent at Rivière-du-Loup. PREMIER CDN produces and distributes peat-based products and industrial equipment. The company is strongly oriented towards the development of products for the environment and bio-technology sectors

A Developing Industry

Support for prospecting, exploitation and value-added production of the various mineral deposits in the region contributes to growth in the industry. Regional support takes various forms such as increasing knowledge of the potential for mining in the region, developing the potential, establishing a center of technology in collaboration with specialized institutions (University, CEGEP, specialized centers, etc.), highlighting the value of peat and its various uses through the establishment of a system of classification and improving marketing.