112-696: Iamgold Corporation (formerly Iamgold International African Mining Gold Corporation ) is a Canadian company that owns and operates gold mines in Burkina Faso and Canada . Headquartered in Toronto , the company was incorporated in 1990, and went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange in 1996, with additional shares being listed on the New York Stock Exchange beginning in 2005. The company formerly owned or had stakes in
224-625: A Niobium mine in Quebec and several older Quebec gold mines in a $ 1.2 billion deal. With 100% interest in the Mupane, Doyon & Mouska, Sleeping Giant and Niobec mines, as well as a 95% interest in the Rosebel mine, the mergers transitioned the company from an investor into an operator and increased their attributable gold production from 642,000 ounces in 2006 to 965,000 ounces in 2007, and peaking at 997,000 ounces in 2008. The company fared well during
336-711: A combination of factors including the depletion of easily accessible gold deposits, harsh weather conditions, and the political instability at the time. The Welsh gold rush occurred in Wales , more so in the Dolgellau area of Gwynedd , during the 19th century. Gold deposits were discovered in Welsh mountains, with reports of gold being found in rivers Mawddach and Tryweryn . By the mid-19th century, commercial mining operations had begun. Wales' gold gained popularity for its quality and rarity, leading to its use in royal jewelry for
448-722: A critical source of income and livelihood, providing employment opportunities and economic support in regions with limited alternative options. Artisanal mining operations vary in scale, from individuals panning for gold in rivers and streams, to small groups working collectibely in informal mining camps, often referred to as ' galamsey ' in West Africa . Gold mining can create employment opportunities in mining operations and related sectors. Howevers, these jobs may be temporary. The sector's reliance on fluctuating global gold prices can lead to economic stability for communities dependent on mining. The discovery of significant gold deposits in
560-543: A distillery and a threshing-machine maker. There were eleven grist and twenty-four saw mills in the surrounding township. In 1850 the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham. By 1857 most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill , Unionville and Markham greatly expanded. In 1851 Markham Village "was a considerable village, containing between eight and nine hundred inhabitants, pleasantly situated on
672-526: A former Progressive Conservative MPP for Markham and a Presbyterian church minister. The community elects the mayor and four regional councillors to represent the City of Markham at the regional level. The municipality pays the Councillors for their services, but in many municipalities, members of council usually serve part-time and work at other jobs. Residents elected the current members of council to
784-603: A four-year term of office, in accordance with standards set by the province. The selection of members for the offices of mayor and regional councillors are made town-wide, while ward councillors are elected by individual ward. The city council is at the Markham Civic Centre at the intersection of York Regional Road 7 and Warden Avenue . The site of the previous offices on Woodbine Avenue has been redeveloped for commercial uses. The historic town hall on Main Street
896-437: A gravel screening plant and sluice box floating in a temporary pond. The pond is excavated in the gravel bar and filled from the natural water table. "Pay" gravel is excavated from the front face of the pond and processed through the floating plant, with the gold trapped in the onboard sluice box and tailings stacked behind the plant, steadily filling in the back of the pond as the operation moves forward. This type of gold mining
1008-534: A historical plaque in front of the Markham Museum to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage. Town council voted on May 29, 2012, to change Markham's legal designation from "town" to "city"; according to Councillor Alex Chiu, who introduced the motion, the change of designation merely reflects the fact that many people already think of Markham as a city. Some residents objected to
1120-471: A large scale to extract gold from extensive alluvial (loose sediment) deposits, such as those at Las Medulas . Mining was under the control of the state but the mines may have been leased to civilian contractors some time later. The gold served as the primary medium of exchange within the empire, and was an important motive in the Roman conquest of Britain by Claudius in the first century AD; although there
1232-488: A lower grade. Tailings can contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. These toxins can pose health risks for local communities. Arsenic is typically found in gold-containing ores, and gold processing may contaminate groundwater or the atmosphere. This pollution may persist for decades. Furthermore, mining operations use large quantities of water for processing ore and can result in the contamination of water sources with heavy metals, such as mercury and cyanide , used in
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#17328020615071344-463: A new company to be called Axiom Gold, valued at about $ 2.9 billion in 2004. However Iamgold stakeholders fought the proposal. BMO Nesbitt Burns and CIBC World Markets organized competing offers, Golden Star Resources Ltd. to acquire Iamgold for $ 1.2-billion and Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp. to acquire Wheaton River for $ 2.56 billion, whose rejection by the Iamgold and Wheaton River board of directors
1456-400: A population density of 1,604.8/km (4,156.4/sq mi) in 2021. Immigrants made up 58% of the population of Markham in the 2021 census. Top countries of origin for the immigrant population were China (33.8%, excluding 16.4% from Hong Kong ), India (7.2%), Sri Lanka (6.4%), Philippines (3.6%), Iran (3.5%), Pakistan (2.7%), Vietnam (1.8%), Jamaica (1.8%), Guyana (1.6). In
1568-441: A region often sees a flood of resources and development, which lasts as long as the mines are economic. When goldfields begin to decline in production, local economies find themselves destabilised and overly reliant upon an industry that will inevitably abandon the region when gold deposits are sufficiently depleted; leaving the areas without proper rehabilitation. Markham, Ontario Markham ( / ˈ m ɑːr k ə m / )
1680-750: A significant mine; although a 30% stake had to be sold to Sumitomo Metal Mining to help fund its development. While the sales also helped finance the expansion of Essakane and the development of the Westwood mine, production would peak again at 882,000 ounces in 2017 and 2018, before falling to 762,000 ounces in 2019 as the Yatela mine became exhausted and Sadiola mine was sold in December 2019. Looking towards future projects, Iamgold purchased Merrex Gold and its Siribaya-Diakha exploration property in Mali. Since opening
1792-747: A tributary of the Klondike River by George Carmack and his Indigenous companions, Skookum Jim Mason and Tagish Charlie . As prospectors arrived in Klondike, makeshift towns and settlements sprang up along the rivers, including Dawson City , which because the largest town in Yukon at the height of the gold rush. Prospectors employed various mining techniques to extract gold from the Klondike's streams and riverbeds, including placer mining, dredging, and hydraulic mining. The Carlin Trend of Nevada, U.S.,
1904-464: A village within the boundaries of the present Milne Conservation Area. European settlement in Markham first began in 1794. The Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada , John Graves Simcoe (in office 1791–1796), named the township of Markham, north of the town of York (now Toronto ), after his friend William Markham , then Archbishop of York . William Berczy first surveyed Markham as a township in 1793, and in 1794 led 75 German families (including
2016-418: Is a cyanide extraction method, or gold cyanidation, introduced in the late 1800s. This a metallurgical technique used to extract gold from lower grade ores by converting gold into a water-soluble coordination complex. Finely ground rock is treated with a solution of sodium cyanide . The extract is absorbed onto carbon and then removed from the carbon with a solution of caustic soda and cyanide. Gold cyanide
2128-688: Is a city in York Region , Ontario , Canada. It is approximately 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Downtown Toronto . In the 2021 Census , Markham had a population of 338,503, which ranked it the largest in York Region, fourth largest in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and 16th largest in Canada. The city gained its name from the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada , John Graves Simcoe (in office 1791–1796), who named
2240-429: Is a method of extracting gold from alluvial deposits such as sand, gravel, and sediment. These are known as placer deposits which are typically found in riverbeds, stream beds, and floodplains. These deposits typically contain minerals that are resistant to weathering and eroision like gold , platinum , diamonds , and more. They are characterized by their relatively high concentration of valuable minerals compared to
2352-513: Is also home to Shouldice Hospital , one of the world's premier facilities for people suffering from hernias . For those living near Steeles , they sometimes will be able to receive treatment at The Scarborough Hospital Birchmount Campus in Toronto/ Scarborough . North York General Hospital also serves for 24/7 care, serving North York and the lower Markham area. Garbage collection is provided by Miller Waste Systems since
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#17328020615072464-415: Is characterized by its low cost, as each rock is moved only once. It also has low environmental impact, as no stripping of vegetation or overburden is necessary, and all process water is fully recycled. Such operations are typical on New Zealand's South Island and in the Klondike region of Canada. Also called a cradle, a rocker box uses riffles located in a high-walled box to trap gold in a similar manner to
2576-616: Is done by small-scale miners using suction dredges. These are small machines that float on the water and are usually operated by one or two people. A suction dredge consists of a sluice box supported by pontoons, attached to a suction hose which is controlled by a miner working beneath the water. This method is particularly popular in areas where gold is found at river bottoms or submerge deposits . Suction dredging can have environmental impacts, moreso on aquatic habitats and water quality. Regulations and best practices are often in place to minimize these impacts. State dredging permits in many of
2688-436: Is essentially a man made channel with riffles set in the bottom. The riffles are designed to create dead zones in the current to allow gold to drop out of suspension. The box is placed in the stream to channel water flow. Gold-bearing material is placed at the top of the box. The material is carried by the current through the volt where gold and other dense material settles out behind the riffles. Less dense material flows out of
2800-868: Is estimated that the total gold production in Karnataka to date is 1000 tons. The mining of the Hungarian deposit (present-day Slovakia) primarily around Kremnica was the largest of the Medieval period in Europe. In South America, gold mining in the Andes dates back to thousands of years, with the Inca empire employing extensive gold mining operations in regions such as present-day Peru and Ecuador . They used stone tools and simple mining techniques to extract gold from rivers, streams, and surface deposits. During
2912-422: Is generally 1–2 °C (1.8–3.6 °F) cooler than in downtown Toronto . It has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ) and features warm, humid summers with rainfall occurring from May to October and cold, snowy winters. The highest temperature recorded was 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) on August 8, 2001, during the eastern North America heat wave and the lowest temperature recorded
3024-602: Is in Ottawa , Ontario. Policing is provided by York Regional Police at a station (5 District) at the corner of McCowan Road and Carlton Road and Highway 7. Highway 404, Highway 407 and parts of Highway 48 are patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police . Toronto Police Service is responsible for patrol on Steeles from Yonge Street to the York—Durham Line . Markham Fire and Emergency Services
3136-759: Is located in Burkina Faso . Iamgold subsidiary company Essakane S.A. operates the Essakane gold mine with the Government of Burkina Faso owning a 10% stake. It is an open pit mine, with heap leach processing , along the Gorouol River near the town of Falagountou and the border with Niger. It was acquired by Iamgold in 2009 from Orezone Resources who had conducted exploration and development activities. The mine began commercial production in July 2010. With 3.8 million ounces in proved and probable reserves as of 2020,
3248-482: Is now a restored office building. The Mayor's Youth Task Force was created to discuss issues facing young people in the city and to plan and publicize events. Its primary purpose is to encourage youth participation within the community. Municipal elections are held every four years in Ontario. The most recent election took place in October, 2022, and the next is scheduled for October, 2026. The links listed below provide
3360-698: Is only one known Roman gold mine at Dolaucothi in west Wales. Gold was a prime motivation for the campaign in Dacia when the Romans invaded Transylvania in what is now modern Romania in the second century AD. The legions were led by the emperor Trajan, and their exploits are shown on Trajan's Column in Rome and the several reproductions of the column elsewhere (such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London ). Under
3472-966: Is produced by major corporations, there are an estimated 10 to 15 million small-scale artisanal gold miners worldwide. Around 4.5 million of them are women, and an estimated 600,000 children work in illegal artisanal gold mines. Artisanal miners use rudimentary methods to extract and process gold. Many of these people are mining to escape extreme poverty , unemployment and landlessness . In Ghana, galamsey miners are estimated to number 20,000 to 50,000. In neighboring francophone countries, such workers are called orpailleurs . In Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, and French Guiana, workers are called garimpeiros . These workers are not required to claim responsibility for their social and environmental impacts. Miners risk government persecution, mine shaft collapses, and toxic poisoning from unsafe chemicals used in processing, such as mercury. For example, in Ghana during 2009,
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3584-633: Is then converted to relatively pure gold through gold parting . There are many environmental hazards associated with this extraction method, largely due to the high toxicity of the cyanide compounds. Furthermore, there are potentials for accidental spills or leaks to cause harm to aquatic ecosystems and human health. For example, in 2000, the Baia Mare cyanide spill in northern Romania released approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,500,000 cu ft) of waste water contaminated with heavy metal sludge and up to 120 long tons (122 t) of cyanide into
3696-532: Is unknown, but some of the oldest known gold artifacts were found in the Varna Necropolis in Bulgaria . The graves of the necropolis were built between 4700 and 4200 BC, indicating that gold mining could be at least 6,724 years old. During a series of excavations carried out between 1878 and 1992, several graves were found with more than 6kg of gold. A group of German and Georgian archaeologists claims
3808-538: The Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir operates Catholic French schools. In the 19th century Markham had a vibrant, independent community with mills, distilleries and breweries around the intersection of Highway 7 and Markham Road. The Thomas Speight Wagon Works exported products (wagons, horsecars) around the world, and Markham had a reputation as being more active than York (the former name for Toronto) early on. Most of these industries disappeared leaving farming as
3920-571: The 2008 recession with its stock falling from $ 8 per share at the beginning of the year to bottoming out at $ 4 in October and peaking again at $ 20 by November 2009. They sold off numerous non-core assets, such as royalties acquired from Repadre, the La Arena copper project in Peru acquired from Cambior, and closed the Sleeping Giant (selling the mill and remaining property), and Doyon mines. In
4032-635: The British royal family . During the 19th century, numerous gold rushes in remote regions around the globe caused large migrations of miners, such as the California Gold Rush of 1849. This is one of the most famous gold rushes in history. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in California sparked a massive migration of people from around the world to California in search of gold. The rush significantly accelerated westward expansion in
4144-722: The Bronze Age , sites in the Eastern Desert became a great source of gold-mining for nomadic Nubians, who used "two-hand-mallets" and "grinding ore extraction ." By the Old Kingdom , the oval mallet was introduced for mining. By the Middle Kingdom , stone mortars to process ores and a new gold-washing technique were introduced. During the New Kingdom , Nubian mining expanded under Egyptian occupation with
4256-789: The Confucius Institute . York University 's campus in Downtown Markham opened in September 2024. It serves the entirety of York Region and upper Scarborough . Markham has a number of both public and Catholic high schools . All have consistently scored high on standardized tests and have some of the highest rate of graduates attending universities. The York Region District School Board operates secular English public schools. The York Catholic District School Board operates English Catholic schools. The Conseil scolaire Viamonde operates secular French schools, and
4368-578: The Dompoase mine collapse killed 18 workers. It was the worst mining disaster in Ghanaian history. Children in these mines suffer extremely harsh working conditions and various hazards such as collapsing tunnels, explosions, and chemical exposure. Children may be especially vulnerable to these hazards and many suffer from serious respiratory conditions, hearing, and vision problems. Gold mining by large multi-national corporations produces about 80% of
4480-690: The Kolar gold fields was mined to a depth of 50 metres (160 ft) during the Gupta period in the fifth century AD. During the Chola period in the 9th and 10th century AD, the scale of the operation grew. The metal continued to be mined by the eleventh century kings of South India, the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1560, and later by Tipu Sultan , the king of Mysore state and the British. It
4592-782: The Sadiola and Yatela gold mines in Mali , the Mupane gold mine in Botswana, the Niobec niobium mine in Quebec, as well as a royalty in the Diavik Diamond Mine . Entering 2020, Iamgold controlled three productive mines that had combined produced 762,000 ounces in 2019. In addition, the company owned controlling interest in two developing mines with stakes exploration activities in numerous locations in west Africa, Canada, Nicaragua , Brazil . The company's largest operating mine
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4704-462: The Sakdrisi site in southern Georgia , dating to the 3rd or 4th millennium BC, may be the world's oldest known gold mine. Gold has been prized by humans since prehistoric times. Archaeological evidence suggests that humans were mining gold as far back as 4000 BCE, with some the earliest known gold artifacts dating back to ancient Mesopotamia . Particularly in the region of present-day Iraq, gold
4816-517: The Tisza River. Historically, mercury was used extensively in placer gold mining in order to form mercury-gold amalgam with smaller gold particles, and thereby increase the gold recovery rates. First, the gold ore is crushed and ground to a fine powder to expose the gold particles for amalgamation. Then, this finely ground ore is mixed with liquid mercury to amalgamate it. Mercury forms an amalgam, an alloy, with gold particles to allow for
4928-581: The Toronto Stock Exchange in 1996, with an additional $ 13 million worth of shares being issued the following year. With the success of developing the Sadiola Gold Mine, Iamgold and AngloGold Ashanti developed a second mine, the Yatela Mine , which began production in 2001. With profits now being realized, Iamgold was listed on the TSE 300 index and began issuing dividends to shareholders, uniquely
5040-428: The province ), and the township had eleven gristmills and twenty-four sawmills. In 1846 Smith's Canadian Gazetteer indicated a population of about 300, mostly Canadians, Pennsylvanian Dutch (actually Pennsylvania Deitsch or German), other Germans, Americans, Irish and a few from Britain. There were two churches with a third being built. There were tradesmen of various types, a grist mill, an oatmill mill, five stores,
5152-482: The 1970s, Markham rapidly shifted from being an agricultural community to an industrialized municipality due to urban sprawl from neighbouring Toronto . Markham changed its status from town to city on July 1, 2012. As of 2013 , tertiary industry mainly drives Markham. As of 2010 , "business services" employed the largest proportion of workers in Markham – nearly 22% of its labour force. The city also has over 1,000 technology and life-sciences companies, with IBM as
5264-662: The 2021 census, the most reported ethnocultural background was Chinese (47.9%), followed by European (17.7%), South Asian (17.6%), Black (3.1%), West Asian (2.9%), Filipino (2.7%), Korean (1.3%), Arab (1.0%), Latin American (0.8%), and Southeast Asian (0.7%). The most common ethnic or cultural origins as per the 2021 census are as follows: Chinese (43.3%), Indian (7.0%), Canadian (4.0%), English (3.8%), Hong Konger (3.7%), Sri Lankan (3.3%), Tamil (3.1%), Irish (3.1%), Scottish (3.1%), Filipino (2.9%), Italian (2.8%), Pakistani (2.1%), and Iranian (2.0%). In 2021, 40.8% of
5376-527: The 20th and 21st centuries, most volume of mining was done by large corporations. However, the value of gold has led to millions of small, artisanal miners in many parts of the Global South . Like all mining, human rights and environmental issues are common in the gold mining industry, and can result in environmental conflict . In mines with less regulation, health and safety risks are much higher. The exact date that humans first began to mine gold
5488-574: The Amazon rainforest, Indigenous peoples have been killed and had their rightfully owned land stolen from them. As a consequence of this, some have left the rainforest to move to cities which further puts them at risk to disease, homelessness, and poverty. Artisanal gold mining is widespread across Africa , occurring in numerous countries including Ghana , Mali , Burkina Faso , Tanzania , Zimbabwe , and many others. For many individuals and communities in rural Africa, artisanal gold mining represents
5600-654: The Boto Gold project in the Kédougou Region of Senegal . The company involvement in the Côté Gold project began in 2012 when it acquired Trelawney Mining and Exploration which held the mineral rights. In 2017, with a preliminary economic assessment estimating a 21-year mine life producing an average of 302,000 ounces of gold annually at an all-in sustaining cost of $ 686/oz, Iamgold sold a 30% stake in Côté Gold to Sumitomo Metal Mining . A feasibility study completed
5712-918: The Eastern Roman Empire Emperor Justinian's rule, gold was mined in the Balkans, Anatolia, Armenia, Egypt, and Nubia. In the area of the Kolar Gold Fields in Bangarpet Taluk , Kolar district of Karnataka state, India; gold was first mined prior to the 2nd and 3rd century AD by digging small pits. Golden objects found in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro have been traced to Kolar through the analysis of impurities – the impurities include 11% silver concentration, found only in KGF ore. The Champion reef at
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#17328020615075824-412: The Highlands during the 16th and 17th century. Gold deposits were discovered in rivers and streams, leading to a surge in prospecting and mining activity. The Scottish Crown took an interest in gold discoveries, in hopes of aiding the kingdom's economy and revenue. King James IV of Scotland established a royal mint to produce gold coins from Scottish gold. The Scottish gold rush eventually waned due to
5936-436: The Markham-Vaughan municipal boundary (portions of it in both municipalities). Unionville is a single community with three sub-communities: In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Markham had a population of 338,503 living in 110,867 of its 114,908 total private dwellings, a change of 2.9% from its 2016 population of 328,966 . With a land area of 210.93 km (81.44 sq mi), it had
6048-722: The Middle Ages, Europe experience several gold rushes. Most notably in regions like Transylvania, Scotland, and Wales. These rushes were often small-scale and localised compared to later rushes in history. The Transylvania gold rush took place in the Kingdom of Hungary (present-day Romania ), primarily in the region of Transylvania during the medieval period. Transylvania was known for its rich mineral resources including gold, silver, and other metals. Miners in Transylvania used both surface and underground mining techniques to extract gold from alluvial deposits and veins. These methods include panning, sluicing, and rudimentary shaft mining. The Scottish gold rush occurred in Scotland, primarily in
6160-405: The Mississauga people to the British Crown for 10 shillings and fishing rights on the Etobicoke river. The remainder of Markham's land (roughly east of Woodbine Avenue/Highway 404) is covered by the Johnson-Butler Purchase of 1787-88 (aka Gunshot Treaty) and formally by the Williams Treaties , signed in 1923. Objects recovered by local mill-owners, the Milne family, in the 1870s give evidence of
6272-409: The Ramers, Reesors, Wheters, Burkholders, Bunkers, Wicks and Lewis) from Upstate New York to an area of Markham now known as German Mills . Each family was granted 81 ha (200 acres) of land; however the lack of roads in the region led many to settle in York (present-day Toronto) and Niagara . German Mills later became a ghost town . Between 1803 and 1812 another attempt at settling the region
6384-418: The Rouge River. It contains two grist mills ... a woollen factory, oatmeal mill, barley mill and distillery, foundry, two tanneries, brewery, etc., a temperance hall and four churches... ." In 1871, with a township population of 8,152, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway built the first rail line to Markham Village and Unionville, which is still used today by the GO Transit commuter services. In 1971 Markham
6496-472: The Sadiola Gold Mine in 1996, Iamgold has held stakes or outright owned numerous mines that later sold or ceased operation. Gold mining Gold mining is the extraction of gold by mining . Historically, mining gold from alluvial deposits used manual separation processes, such as gold panning . The expansion of gold mining to ores that are not on the surface has led to more complex extraction processes such as pit mining and gold cyanidation . In
6608-410: The United States and had profound effects on the region's economy and society. The gold rushes began in 1851 when Edward Hargraves , a prospector, discovered gold near Bathhurst , New South Wales . The most well known gold rush in Australia was the Victorian Gold Rush . Thousands of people, known as 'diggers', came from around the world to Australia in search of gold, which ultimately contributed to
6720-484: The United States gold dredging areas specify a seasonal time period and area closures to avoid conflicts between dredgers and the spawning time of fish populations. Some US states, such as Montana, require an extensive permitting procedure, including permits. Some large suction dredges [100 horsepower (75 kW) & 250 mm (10 in)] are used in commercial production throughout the world. Small suction dredges are much more efficient at extracting smaller gold than
6832-601: The area after his friend, William Markham , the Archbishop of York from 1776 to 1807. Indigenous people lived in the area of present-day Markham for thousands of years before Europeans arrived in the area. The first European settlement in Markham occurred when William Berczy , a German artist and developer, led a group of approximately sixty-four German families to North America. While they planned to settle in New York, disputes over finances and land tenure led Berczy to negotiate with Simcoe for 26,000 ha (64,000 acres) in what would later become Markham Township in 1794. Since
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#17328020615076944-580: The box as tailings . Larger commercial placer mining operations employ screening plants, or trommels , to remove the larger alluvial materials such as boulders and gravel, before concentrating the remainder in a sluice box or jig plant. After the gold is sorted through trommels, it is then placed through regular sluice boxes for further sorting. These operations typically include diesel powered, earth moving equipment including excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders , and rock trucks. Although this method has largely been replaced by modern methods, some dredging
7056-414: The building which was formerly the Canadian head office of American Express from 1985 to 2015. Markham is home to several locally oriented performing arts groups: A key arts venue is the 'Markham Theatre For Performing Arts', at the Markham Civic Centre at Highway 7 and Warden Avenue. The facility is owned by the City of Markham and operates under the city's Culture Department. Until the 1970s, Markham
7168-400: The change because it will involve unknown costs without any demonstrated benefits. The designation officially took effect on July 1. Markham covers 212.47 km (82.04 sq mi) and Markham's city centre is at 43°53′N 79°15′W / 43.883°N 79.250°W / 43.883; -79.250 ( Markham city centre ) . It is bounded by five municipalities; in
7280-441: The city's Operations Department: Markham has scenic pathways running over 22 km over its region. These pathways include 12 bridges allowing walkers, joggers, and cyclists to make use and enjoy the sights it has to offer. Markham's green space includes woodlots, ravines, and valleys that are not only enjoyable to its residents, but are important for the continued growth of the region's plants and animals. These natural spaces are
7392-436: The city's largest employer. Several multinational companies have their Canadian headquarters in Markham, including: Honda Canada , Hyundai , Advanced Micro Devices , Johnson & Johnson , General Motors , Avaya , IBM , Motorola , Oracle , Toshiba , Toyota Financial Services , Huawei , Honeywell , General Electric and Scholastic Canada . Indigenous people lived in the area of present-day Markham since
7504-632: The community and learn about local and Canadian art . The Markham Public Library system has eight branches. Some branches offer unique digital tools such as a Digital Media lab with graphic designs software, a recording studio with video editing / audio editing software and a green screen, and a maker space with 3D printers , virtual reality , and laser cutters . With a library card, user can take free online courses , borrow household tools and equipment and educational toys. Notable sporting events held by Markham include: Recreation Department runs programs in these facilities and maintained by
7616-417: The company's founding in 1961. Seneca College has a campus in Markham, at Highway 7 and the 404 near Woodbine Avenue/Leslie Street, in the York Region business district. This location opened in 2005, offering full and part-time programs in business, marketing and tourism, and also the college's departments of Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology Services. Since 2011 the campus has also housed
7728-489: The dividends were aid in bullion instead of cash. Additional shares were issued in 2002 and they company became listed on the American Stock Exchange . The company incurred a court-ordered $ 1.7 million fine, payable to Kinbauri Gold for withdrawing from a merger agreement. Also in late-2002, in a $ 218 million in all-stock deal, Iamgold acquired royalty company Repadre Capital Corp. which had stakes in several gold and diamond mines in Canada and Africa, most significant of which
7840-451: The east it borders Pickering along York-Durham Line. Markham's average altitude is at 200 m (660 ft) and in general consists of gently rolling hills. The city is intersected by two rivers; the Don River and Rouge River , as well as their tributaries. To the north is the Oak Ridges Moraine, which further elevates the elevation towards the north. Markham borders and shares the same climate as Toronto . On an average day, Markham
7952-432: The efficient capture of gold from the ore. The gold is concentrated by boiling away the mercury from the amalgam . This process is called retorting. This is effective in extracting very small gold particles, but the process is hazardous due to the toxicity of mercury vapour. Large-scale use of mercury stopped in the 1960s. However, mercury is still used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). While most gold
8064-683: The end of the last Ice Age and the city is situated on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee ( Iroquois ), Huron Wendat , Petun and Neutral people. In the early 1600s, when explorers from France arrived, they encountered the Huron-Wendat First Nation. The southwest corner of Markham is included in Treaty 13, known as the Toronto Purchase of 1787, which transferred roughly 250,800 acres of land from
8176-762: The extraction process. This pollution can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. Soil degradation has also been found to be impacted by gold mining. Mining activities can disturb soil structure, leading to erosion, sedimentation of waterways, and loss of fertile land for agriculture or vegetation regrowth. More evidently, dust and emissions from mining machiner and processing facilities can contribute to air pollution, impacting air quality and potentially causings respiratory problems for nearby communities. Large-scale gold mining projects may require land acquisition and resettlement of local communities, leading to displacement, loss of livelihoods, and disruption of traditional ways of life. In addition to
8288-694: The gold supply. Most gold is mined in developing nations. Large mining companies play a key role in globalisation of the economy by linking rich and poor companies. Newmont and Barrick Gold are the largest gold mining companies in the world, but there are many smaller corporations in the industry. Local communities are frequently vulnerable to environmental degradation caused by large mining companies and may lack government protection or industry regulation. For example, thousands of people around Lega Dembi mine are exposed to mercury, arsenic, and other toxins resulting in widespread health problems and birth defects. Vulnerable communities may also lose their land to
8400-567: The growth of cities like Melbourne and Sydney . The discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand led to the Second Boer War and ultimately the founding of South Africa. This transformed the region into one of the wealthiest gold-producing areas in the world. This rush played a crucial role in the development of South Africa's economy and lead to the establishment of Johannesburg, known as the 'city of gold'. Gold-bearing reefs in
8512-765: The heat is unbearable for humans, and air conditioning is required for the safety of the workers. The first such mine to receive air conditioning was Robinson Deep , at that time the deepest mine in the world for any mineral. Gold is also produced by mining in which it is not the principal product. Large copper mines, such as the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah, often recover considerable amounts of gold and other metals along with copper. Sand and gravel pits, like those in Denver (Colorado), may recover small amounts of gold in their wash operations. The largest producing gold mine in
8624-595: The invention of the grinding mill . Additionally, gold was associated with the sun god Ra and was believed to be eternal and indestructible, symbolising the pharoah's divine power and afterlife. Gold has also been found in the tombs of Tutankhamun and other pharoahs. During the Bronze Age, gold objects were also plentiful; especially in Ireland and Spain. Romans employed slave labour and used hydraulic mining methods, such as hushing and ground sluicing on
8736-461: The lowest ever recorded for tropical forests, with there being little to no tree regeneration at abandoned mining camps, even after several years. The Amazon rainforest is at risk for 'savannization', which is the gradual transformation of a tropical rainforest into a savannah. This would ultimately lead to a collapse of biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate. Gold mining produces more waste than mining of other minerals, because it can be mined at
8848-509: The main source of business. Light industries and businesses began to move into Markham in the 1980s attracted by land and lower taxes. Today, it claims to be "Canada's Hi-Tech Capital" with a number of key companies in the area, such as IBM, Motorola, Toshiba, Honeywell , Apple, Genesis Microchip , and is home to the head office of graphics card producer ATI Technologies (in 2006 merged with AMD). Over 1,100 technology and life science companies have offices in Markham, employing over one fifth of
8960-706: The mine has produced approximately 350,000-450,000 ounces of gold per year. In Suriname , Iamgold subsidiary company Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. operates the Rosebel gold mine with the Government of Suriname owning a 5% stake. It is an open pit mine located near the town of Brownsweg . Golden Star Resources and Cambior had conducted the exploration and development work to bring the mine into commercial production in 2004. Iamgold acquired Cambior in 2006 while Golden Star sold its stake to Euro Ressources S.A. which Iamgold acquired in 2008. With 2.9 million ounces in proved and probable reserves as of 2020 (with additional reserves in
9072-663: The mine. Some large companies have attempted to build local legitimacy through corporate responsibility initiatives and local development. Gold mining can significantly alter the natural environment. Gold mining activities in tropical forests are increasingly causing deforestation along rivers and in remote areas rich in biodiversity. Mining has increased rainforest loss up to 70km beyond lease boundaries, causing nearly 11,670 km of deforestation between 2005 to 2015. Up to 9% of gold mining occurs outside of these regulated lease boundaries. Other gold mining impacts, particularly in aquatic systems with residual cyanide or mercury (used in
9184-547: The neighboring Saramacca expansion property and potential for zinc extraction), the mine has produced approximately 300,000 ounces of gold per year. In the Abitibi Municipality of Quebec , Iamgold acquired the Doyon Division mining property with its 2006 acquisition of Cambior . As its older Doyon mine ceased production in 2009, the facilities were re-purposed to support the developing and operation of
9296-744: The neighbouring Free State province were found shortly thereafter, driving significant development in the region with the establishment of the Free State goldfields . Also known as the Yukon Gold Rush , brought prospectors from around the world to the Klondike region of the Yukon territory in Canada . The Klondike Gold Rush began in 1896, when gold was discovered in Bonanza Creek ,
9408-493: The new Westwood gold mine which began commercial production in 2014. The ore from the open pit mine is processing at the refurbished Doyon mill using the carbon in pulp method. Zinc deposits. With 1.2 million ounces in proved and probable reserves as of 2020, the mine has produced around 100,000 ounces of gold per year. Iamgold's two developing mines are the Côté Gold project in the Sudbury District of Ontario , and
9520-536: The next year estimated the open pit mine would require an initial capital cost of $ 1.15 billion and adjusted the estimated production numbers to 367,000 ounces of gold annually over 16 year life span. Meanwhile, feasibility studies for the Senegalese Boto Gold project estimated a potential for approximately 160,000 ounces of gold annually over 11-year mine life. The Iamgold International African Mining Gold Corporation (re-named Iamgold Corporation in 1997)
9632-413: The old bucket line . This has improved the chances of finding gold. Smaller dredges with 50-to-100-millimetre (2 to 4 in) suction tubes are used to sample areas behind boulders and along potential pay streaks, until "colour" (gold) appears. Other larger scale dredging operations take place on exposed river gravel bars at seasonal low water. These operations typically use a land based excavator to feed
9744-412: The population did not identify with a particular religion. The most reported religions were Christianity (35.1%), Hinduism (9.2%), Islam (7.9%), Buddhism (4.0%), Judaism (1.4%), and Sikhism (1.1%). Markham City Council consists of Frank Scarpitti as mayor, four regional councillors and eight ward councillors each representing one of the city's eight wards. Scarpitti replaced Don Cousens ,
9856-688: The possible respiratory problems that could be acquired, individuals may be exposed to hazardous chemicals used in gold extraction such as mercury and cyanide. These chemicals pose risks to gold miners, communities, and wildlife; resulting in further medical problems involving neurological disorders and waterborne diseases . Gold mining in some regions has been associated with conflicts over land rights, labour rights violations, and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including Indigenous peoples and artisanal miners. Mining activities can damage or destroy cultural heritage sites, artifacts, and sacred areas; further impacting cultural identities and heritages. In
9968-407: The recovery of gold from ore), can be highly toxic to people and wildlife even at relatively low concentrations. Illegal gold mining exacerbates the ecological vulnerability of the remaining forest ultimately leading to permanent forest loss. Gold mining clears native forests for mineral extraction, but also indirectly facilitates access to more land and further clearing. Rainforest recovery rates are
10080-411: The results of recent election results: The city is permitted to create and enforce by-laws upon residents on various matters affecting the town. The by-laws are generally enforced by City By-Law enforcement officers, but they may involve York Regional Police if violations are deemed too dangerous for the officers to handle. In addition the by-laws can be linked to various provincial acts and enforced by
10192-474: The rigours of the frontier with the development of agriculture-based industries. The township's many rivers and streams soon supported water-powered saws and gristmills and later wooden mills. With improved transportation routes, such as the construction of Yonge Street in the 1800s, along with the growing population, urbanization increased. In 1842 the township population had reached 5,698; 11,738 ha (29,005 acres) were under cultivation (second highest in
10304-595: The same timeframe, they initiated plans to develop the Westwood mine using the Doyon property and acquired Orezone Resources Inc. and its Essakane Project in Burkina Faso. While 2008 proved to be their best year in terms of gold production, the company's stock price peaked in 2011 at $ 21.40. After CEO Joseph Conway stepped down in January 2010, replaced by interim CEO Peter Jones until Enbridge executive Stephen Letwin
10416-549: The sluice box. A rocker box uses less water than a sluice box and is well suited for areas where water is limited. A rocking motion provides the water movement needed for the gravity separation of gold in placer material. Rocker boxes gained popularity during the California Gold Rush in the 19th century and remain in use today. Although simple and inexpensive, it is not efficient as the previously discussed mining techniques . The dominant method for refining gold
10528-705: The south. Since the 1980s Markham has been recognized as a suburb of Toronto. As of 2006 the city comprises six major communities: Berczy Village , Cornell , Markham Village, Milliken , Thornhill and Unionville. Many high-tech companies have established head offices in Markham, attracted by the relative abundance of land, low tax-rates and good transportation routes. Broadcom Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), IBM Canada , Motorola Canada, Honeywell Canada and many other well-known companies have chosen Markham as their home in Canada. The city has accordingly started branding itself as Canada's "High-Tech Capital". The province of Ontario has erected
10640-467: The surrounding rock or sediments. Unlike hard-rock mining, which involves excavating solid rock formations, water or dredging is used to extract the gold. Using a sluice box to extract gold from placer deposits has long been a very common practice in prospecting and small-scale mining. Sluices work on the principle that heavier particles will sink to the bottom of a stream, while those that are lighter will be carried downstream and expelled. A sluice box
10752-434: The total workforce. In 2014, the top five employers in the city in order were IBM Canada, the City of Markham, TD Waterhouse Inc. , Markham Stouffville Hospital and AMD Technologies Inc. International Franchise Inc., which owns brands including Swensen's and Yogen Früz and several others, has its headquarters in Markham. General Motors Canada Canadian Technical Centre has been located in Markham since 2017, in
10864-655: The town. Violation of by-laws is subject to fines of up to $ 20,000 CAD. The by-laws of Markham include: There are no courts in Markham, but the city is served by an Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket , as well as an Ontario Small Claims court in Richmond Hill. There are also served by a Provincial Offence Court in Richmond Hill. The Ontario Court of Appeal is in Toronto, while the Supreme Court of Canada
10976-483: The west is Vaughan with the boundary along Yonge Street between Steeles Avenue and Highway 7 and Richmond Hill with the boundary along Highway 7 from Yonge Street to Highway 404 and at Highway 404 from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road . In the south, it borders Toronto with the boundary along Steeles Avenue. In the north it borders Whitchurch–Stouffville with the boundary from Highway 404 to York-Durham Line between 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In
11088-601: The world's gold. Sometimes open-pit mining is used, such as at the Fort Knox Mine in central Alaska. Barrick Gold Corporation has one of the largest open-pit gold mines in North America located on its Goldstrike mine property in north eastern Nevada. Other gold mines use underground mining, where the ore is extracted through tunnels or shafts. South Africa has the world's deepest hard rock gold mine up to 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) underground. At such depths,
11200-720: The world, the Grasberg mine in Papua, Indonesia, is primarily a copper mine. Gold panning , or simply panning , is a form of placer mining and traditional mining that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. The process is one of the simplest ways to extract gold, and is popular with geology enthusiasts especially because of its low cost and relative simplicity. The first recorded instances of placer mining are from ancient Rome , where gold and other precious metals were extracted from streams and mountainsides using sluices and panning ( ruina montium ). Placer mining
11312-663: Was China with 368.3 tonnes of gold mined in that year. The second-largest producer of gold was Russia where 331.1 tonnes was mined in the same year, followed by Australia with 327.8 tonnes. In 2023, the annual gold demand of 4,448 tonnes was 5% below that of 2022. The total gold demand in 2023 was the highest at 4,899 tonnes. Despite its decreasing content in ores, gold production is increasing. This increase can be achieved through ever larger-scale industrial installations as well as innovations, especially in hydrometallurgy . Hard rock mining extracts gold encased in rock, rather than fragments in loose sediment, and produces most of
11424-538: Was a 19% interest in Gold Fields 's Tarkwa and Damang mines in Ghana . With Repadre's Joseph Conway taking over as CEO of the combined company, the merger boosted Iamgold's attributable gold production to 421,000 ounces from 290,000 ounces the year before. After moving its headquarters from Markham to Toronto, the directors and CEOs of Iamgold and Wheaton River Minerals Ltd. agreed to a merger deal that would create
11536-514: Was discovered in 1961. Official estimates indicate that total world gold production since the beginning of civilization has been around 6,352,216,000 troy ounces (197,576.0 t) and total gold production in Nevada is 1.1% of that, ranking Nevada as one of the Earth's primary gold-producing regions. World gold production was 3,612 tonnes in 2022. As of 2020 , the world's largest gold producer
11648-413: Was established in 1970 as Markham Fire Department and replaced various local volunteer fire units. Nine fire stations serve Markham. Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport is also served by Markham's Fire service. Markham Stouffville Hospital in the city's far eastern end is Markham's main healthcare facility, located at the intersection of Highway 7 and 9th Line (407 and Donald Cousens Parkway). Markham
11760-621: Was fought in court. While the shareholder votes were delayed due to the court cases, Wheaton River shareholders voted in favour of the merger but Iamgold shareholders rejected it. The company subsequently made a failed bid to acquire assets of Gold Fields . With the failed merger and acquisition behind them, in the next two years the company acquired Australian company Gallery Gold and its Mupane gold mine in Botswana in an $ 235 million all-stock deal, and Cambior with its Rosebel mine in Suriname ,
11872-539: Was founded on March 27, 1990, by businessmen Mark Nathanson and William Pugliese to pursue a mining concession being offered in Mali. Headquartered in Markham, Ontario , the company partnered with South African gold mining company Anglo American 's AngloGold Ashanti to develop the Sadiola Gold Mine . To fund this, Iamgold raised $ 60 million in an initial public offering becoming a publicly-listed company on
11984-510: Was hired, the Essakane mine had commenced production in July 2010. In June 2011, Iamgold sold its 19% stake in the Tarkwa and Damang gold mines in Ghana to Gold Fields Limited for $ 667 million and its Mupane gold mine in Botswana to Galane Gold Ltd. for $ 34 million. In 2012, in a $ 608-million purchase, Iamgold acquired Trelawney Mining and Exploration and its Côté Lake gold deposit, near Sudbury, Ontario which they believed could be developed into
12096-611: Was incorporated as a town, as its population skyrocketed due to urban sprawl from Toronto. In 1976 Markham's population was approximately 56,000. Since that time, the population has more than quintupled, with explosive growth in new subdivisions. Much of Markham's farmland has disappeared, but some still remains north of Major Mackenzie Drive . Controversy over the development of the environmentally-sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine will likely curb development north of Major Mackenzie Drive and by Rouge National Urban Park east of Reesor Road between Major Mackenzie Drive to Steeles Avenue East to
12208-579: Was made. The largest group of settlers were Pennsylvania Dutch , most of them Mennonites . These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers settled the region and founded Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor. In 1825 Reesorville was renamed to Markham and took the name of the unincorporated village (see Markham Village, Ontario ). By 1830, many Irish , Scottish and English families began immigrating to Upper Canada and settling in Markham. Markham's early years blended
12320-626: Was mined extensively. The ancient Sumerians , around 2500 BCE, developed sophisticated techniques for extracting gold from alluvial deposits and underground mines. These techniques included the use of sluice boxes. Evidence suggests that Nubia had sporadic access to gold nuggets during the Neolithic and Prehistoric Period . Gold mining in Egypt involved both surface mining such as panning for gold in riverbeads and underground mining, where tunnels were dug to extract gold-bearing quartz veins. During
12432-610: Was mostly farmland and marsh, as reflected in events like the Markham Fair . Markham has several theatres, Markham Little Theatre at the Markham Museum , the Markham Youth Theatre , and the Markham Theatre . The Varley Art Gallery is the city of Markham's art museum. The gallery hosts rotating exhibits, public events, art camps and art classes, among other opportunities for citizens to get involved in
12544-429: Was −35.2 °C (−31.4 °F) on January 16, 1994, during the 1994 North American cold wave . Markham is made up of many original 19th-century communities, each with a distinctive character. Many of these, despite being technically suburban districts today, are still signed with official "city limits" signs on major roads: Thornhill and Unionville are popularly seen as being separate communities. Thornhill straddles
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