Mining has played a formative role in the history of Northern Ontario. It has been one of the key generators of wealth in the area since the mid - 19th century, and is also responsible for much of the urban development of Ontario's northland. The twelve papers published here came out of the second annual confernce of Northern Ontario research and development held in 1990. The papers are grouped into four sections, the early years; the era of government intervention; the present and finally the future and what can be done to maintain the communities.