Marmora, ON, Canada

The rich history of mining in Marmora is a double-edged sword. While the area has produced iron, copper, lead, silver, gold and talc since the 1820s, the bureaucracy around this industry can be a persistent headache. Marmora, the largest community in the Municipality of Marmora and Lake with a population of undisclosed size, sits along the Crowe River and Highway 7 between Ottawa and Toronto. The nearby Cordova Mines extracted gold and silver in the past, but the region's economic focus has shifted to processing minerals like talc and dolomite. For those drawn to Marmora's industrial heritage and natural setting, the tradeoffs of heavy industry and red tape may be worth it. But this bleak, cynical town is not for the faint of heart.