Top Mining Projects in the US, Canada, and LATAM

Key Takeaways: 

• The US, Canada, and Latin America are seeing surging demand for copper, lithium, and other critical minerals.
• US projects are concentrated in Nevada and Alaska, creating regional competition for mining professionals.
• Canada’s mining industry is vast, with Ontario and Quebec alone accounting for 68% of national gold output.
• Latin America holds a large proportion of the world’s critical minerals, with a growing pipeline of major projects in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Brazil that will generate sustained demand for workers well into the next decade.
• Across all three regions, the constraint on project delivery is the availability of qualified workers, particularly for remote sites that require both local staff and internationally mobile specialists.
• Early engagement with a specialist mining recruitment agency, such as NES Fircroft, gives project owners an advantage in identifying, assessing, and securing the top technical professionals.

The Americas are witnessing levels of investment unlike anything seen in recent decades. Driven by key mining trends, such as demand for critical minerals, infrastructure materials, and domestic supply, the region’s project pipeline spans billions of dollars across thousands of active sites. 

For those responsible for building the teams that deliver these projects, one question matters above all others: where is the talent coming from?

The United States: A Race Against Time

Federal policy has elevated domestic mining projects to a national security priority. President Trump’s March 2025 Executive Order on mineral production and the DOE’s $2.26 billion loan to Lithium Americas’ Thacker Pass project signal sustained government commitment.

Key projects (at various stages of development) include:

The scale and concentration of these projects, particularly in Nevada and Alaska, creates intense, localized competition for geotechnical engineers, metallurgists, maintenance planners, process engineers, and project controls professionals. 

Canada: Production Growth and the Skills Crunch

Canada’s mining projects are producing at pace while simultaneously developing the next generation of assets. In 2024, Canada was the fourth-largest gold producer globally, yielding nearly 200 tons with a production value of C$16.9 billion. Ontario and Quebec alone accounted for 68% of total output. 

The national Critical Minerals Strategy has created fresh impetus to promote domestic production and processing of these minerals in strategic areas, such as clean energy.

Key projects (at various stages of development) include:

Across the Canadian portfolio, the tightest skillsets remain mine planning, maintenance and reliability, project delivery, ESG-related roles, and site leaders with automation or digital exposure. 

Latin America: Vital for Copper and Lithium

LATAM holds an extraordinary concentration of some of the most important minerals in the world, such as 40% of its copper and 35% of its lithium. 

Chile and Peru together account for 37% of global copper production, while the Lithium Triangle - spanning Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia - contains roughly 60% of global lithium resources. By 2030, LATAM copper production is projected to reach nearly 11.4 million tons.

Key projects (at various stages of development) include:

The Workforce Constraint

Across all three regions, capital is available but qualified people are not. More than half of the US mining workforce, around 221,000 workers, is expected to retire by 2029. In Canada, 100,000–220,000 workers may be needed by 2033 to replace retirees and support new development.

More broadly across OECD countries, the mining workforce is characterized by an aging demographic and significant gender imbalances, with more than 72% of the workforce aged over 35 and less than 17% being female. There is also a sizeable mismatch between the industry’s needs and workers’ skills and preferences.

So, remote sites and national projects face the challenge of attracting both local and expat staff, and then retaining them. There are also sometimes local obligations: in Alaska, for example, employers are required to support and upskill the local workforce as a condition of operating with community consent.

This is where a specialist mining recruitment agency, such as NES Fircroft, provides measurable value. Early workforce planning, beginning at FEED stage rather than EPC, gives project owners time to identify candidates, assess fit, and plan succession for key roles. Flexible recruitment models, including contract staffing and retained search, help teams to scale as projects progress without overcommitting to permanent hires in advance of investment decisions.

NES Fircroft: Supporting Mining Projects Across the Americas

We bring deep sector expertise in mining recruitment in the Americas, built on years of placing technical professionals across exploration, construction, and operations globally. Our wider experience in renewables, power, and infrastructure means we understand the adjacent sectors competing for the same engineers and project professionals, and we also know how to position mining roles compellingly to attract them.

Our talent acquisition and Employer of Record (EOR) services enable rapid, compliant recruitment of specialist contractors and cross-border hires without the administrative burden of establishing a local entity. 

Whether your project requires a single experienced mine planner, a full project delivery team, or a program of local workforce development, we have the sector knowledge and networks in North America, Canada, and Latin America to deliver.

Ready to build the team your project needs? Contact our mining recruitment team today to discuss your workforce requirements.

FAQs

How can I find the top mining recruitment agency in the United States for my project needs?

Look for an agency with demonstrable experience placing technical professionals across the specific disciplines your project requires. NES Fircroft has 10+ offices in the US, and our sector-dedicated consultants work across the full project lifecycle, from exploration through to operations, with access to both active and passive candidates on a national and global level.

What should I be doing to attract skilled mining talent?

Competitive compensation is necessary but rarely sufficient on its own. Clear career progression, investment in training, modern working conditions, and credible employer branding all influence candidate decisions, particularly among the experienced professionals who have the most options.

How can I attract and retain skilled trades for remote mining sites?

Partnering with specialized staffing agencies like NES Fircroft is the often the fastest way to secure skilled trades for remote mining sites. Strong agency pipelines, paired with well-structured onboarding, quality site accommodation, and genuine investment in career development all improve retention. Flexible contractor models and mobility support can widen the available talent pool significantly beyond the immediate locality.

Which recruitment agencies specialize in mining engineers in Canada, and how do I choose the right one?

Prioritize local Canadian recruitment agencies with on-the-ground knowledge of Canada’s key mining regions, such as Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, and with proven experience placing the specific engineering disciplines that your operation requires. NES Fircroft has locally owned offices across Canada, supported by a global network, including access to mobile professionals with experience in comparable regions.

How do I choose a mining recruitment partner in LATAM that understands local regulations, talent markets, and cross-border workforce needs?

Your local recruitment partner needs fluency in the regulatory frameworks of the specific countries you are operating in. Our LATAM capabilities include multilingual consultants, compliance expertise across multiple regions, and EOR solutions to support the cross-border movement of specialist talent where local supply is constrained.