By Ryan Jackson in Vancouver What are the most important factors an investor should look at when evaluating a junior miner moving towards production? Clearly the potential of the mineral resource and the experience of the management team are two important factors. The Griffith mine But in bulks there is a third factor to consider: infrastructure.

Mining production in Canada's northern regions could nearly double by 2020, but only if key hurdles such as lack of infrastructure and a growing skills shortage can be resolved. The Conference Board of Canada's Centre for the North predicts mining output for metallic and non-metallic minerals from northern regions will expand by 91 per cent from 2011 to 2020, a compound growth rate of 7.5 per cent.