07 November 2025

How CIM Members and Canadian Mining Efforts Supported the World Wars

To commemorate Remembrance Day on Tuesday, we're sharing a collection of stories that remember the Canadian miners and CIM members who fought in the First and Second World Wars, and the importance of some mines to war efforts.

• A new section in the monthly CIM Bulletin offered direct correspondence and comfort to CIM members fighting in the trenches during the First World War.
• Canadian mining corps were a crucial factor in the mining operations taking place at the Rock of Gibraltar, an important strategic position for protecting the British from the Germans in the Second World War.
• The fighting conditions in the First World War were notoriously dreadful, but mining crews digging secret tunnels through enemy lines experienced their own brand of hardship as well.
• Lastly, the story of Bell Island – the tiny island in Newfoundland that was home to an iron ore operation that came under attack by German U-Boats in 1942.

As Remembrance Day approaches, we pause to consider the immense sacrifices made not just on the battlefield, but in the often-unseen critical operations that supported the war efforts. The courage of the Canadian miners and CIM members, who faced danger from the tunnels beneath enemy lines to the strategic importance of places like the Rock of Gibraltar and Bell Island, is a testament to the essential role the **mining community** played in both World Wars.

Their stories of dedication, resilience, and service are a vital part of our national history. On Remembrance Day, we honour their memory, ensuring the contributions of these remarkable individuals and the pivotal mines they worked in are never forgotten.