Mining’s Image Makeover: What the Data Tells Us About Public Perception in Canada and the U.S.

With mining increasingly in the spotlight due to geopolitical tensions, energy security, and critical mineral demand, we explored which issues are resonating the most in Canada and the U.S., how sentiment is shifting and what that means for industry leaders, policymakers, and communities.

Mining’s Reputation: From “Dirty” to Strategic

In our Spin Nation episode titled: USA vs Canada: Mining Narratives Uncovered, Lisa Ross, CFO from Revival Gold posed the central question: Do people still see mining as a dirty business? The data suggests a nuanced answer. In the U.S., the conversation around mining has grown significantly, with former President Trump dominating 12% of the narrative—largely due to his “drill, baby, drill” rhetoric and deregulation agenda. This political shift has brought mining into mainstream discourse, even in states without active mining operations.

In Canada, the conversation has also intensified, with Carney only 6% of the total conversation on mining, particularly since the March 2025 election. While environmental concerns remain, the focus is increasingly on economic opportunity and national independence through domestic mineral production.

Key Data Trends: U.S. vs. Canada

The podcast broke down mining-related narratives into five categories: environment, Indigenous/First Nations voices, jobs, permitting, and litigation. Here’s what the data revealed:

United States

Mining Narratives in the USA: This graph illustrates the fluctuation of topics related to mining from July 2024 to June 2025, focusing on jobs and environment as the most discussed issues.

• Environment: Peaked at 40% of the conversation in Q3 2024, dropped to 15% post-election, and rebounded to 30% in 2025.

• Jobs: Rose from 27% to 41% in Q4 2024, then stabilized around 31%.

• Indigenous Voices: Remained low at 7%, with little fluctuation.

• Permitting: Rose to 25% of the conversation, reflecting optimism from Trump's election and his promise to speed up mining of critical minerals.

• Litigation: Steady at 7–9%, highlighting the impact of NGO-led lawsuits that can delay mine development for years.

Sentiment towards mining in the USA shows a generally positive trend from Q3 2024 to Q2 2025, with both weak and strong positive sentiments increasing over time, as indicated by social and media posts.

Canada

Trends in Canadian Mining Discussions: Jobs and Indigenous Issues Lead Social and Media Narratives from July 2024 to June 2025.

• Environment: Consistently lower than the U.S., with less fluctuation.

• First Nations: Grew from 14% to 24% of the conversation by Q2 2025, reflecting rising concerns about fast-tracked legislation like Bill C-5.

• Jobs: Steady in the 30% range but growing with the momentum of interest in mining.

• Litigation: Dropped from 15% to 6%, suggesting lower interest as stakeholder wait to see impact of new federal and provincial legislation.

Positive sentiment towards mining in Canada remained prevalent from mid-2024 to mid-2025.

Community, Consent, and Communication

Ross emphasized the importance of Impact Benefit Agreements (IBAs) in Canada, warning that companies who do not properly engage First Nations and local communities will face backlash. In both countries, she noted, the industry must do more to communicate its value—especially through modern platforms like TikTok—to counter outdated stereotypes and misinformation.

The Bottom Line

The mining industry is at a crossroads. In the U.S., the focus is on environmental stewardship and job creation, while in Canada, jobs and Indigenous rights are front and center. As public attention grows, so does scrutiny. The industry must balance economic opportunity with environmental and social responsibility—and communicate that balance clearly.

As Ross put it, quoting a U.S. congressman: “We are pro-mining environmentalists.” That dual identity may be the key to mining’s future.