Murdochville, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Murdochville is a small mining
community located in Quebec
, Canada
. Its population (as of 2006) is 812.
The mining operation in the town was comparatively large, starting with mining the raw ore and finishing with an end product of pure copper anode. In the 1970s, the mining operation in Murdochville was large enough to support a population of 5000 inhabitants. A number of large union
battles in Murdochville also helped lay the groundwork for ideas that still exist today. Workers in Murdochville fought for their rights in 1957, which led to the adoption of several new laws protecting the rights of unionized workers in Quebec.
The mine closed in 1999, leaving the town to fight for survival. After several close calls, the small town has decided to fight back, in an effort to reverse the economic uncertainty that has befallen the town. This has included the creation of several large wind turbine
projects, along with the diversification of the local economy, with emphasis on tourism (such as skiing in the winter months).
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
community located in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its population (as of 2006) is 812.
The mining operation in the town was comparatively large, starting with mining the raw ore and finishing with an end product of pure copper anode. In the 1970s, the mining operation in Murdochville was large enough to support a population of 5000 inhabitants. A number of large union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
battles in Murdochville also helped lay the groundwork for ideas that still exist today. Workers in Murdochville fought for their rights in 1957, which led to the adoption of several new laws protecting the rights of unionized workers in Quebec.
The mine closed in 1999, leaving the town to fight for survival. After several close calls, the small town has decided to fight back, in an effort to reverse the economic uncertainty that has befallen the town. This has included the creation of several large wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
projects, along with the diversification of the local economy, with emphasis on tourism (such as skiing in the winter months).