. ▁Min eral ▁extra ction ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁economic ▁activity , ▁with ▁iron ▁being ▁m ined ▁in ▁Quebec ▁and ▁Lab r ador , ▁u ran ium ▁in ▁S ask atch ew an , ▁and ▁gold ▁and ▁more ▁recently ▁diam onds ▁in ▁the ▁North west ▁Territ ories . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁This ▁sub ar ctic ▁zone ▁experiences ▁cool ▁sum mers ▁that ▁are ▁short , ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 4 ▁hours ▁of ▁full ▁day light ▁a ▁year ▁in ▁its ▁most ▁northern ▁reaches , ▁and ▁winter s ▁that ▁are ▁extremely ▁cold ▁and ▁long , ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁ 2 4 - hour ▁period ▁of ▁complete ▁darkness . ▁P reci p itation ▁ranges ▁from ▁ 2 5 0 ▁to ▁ 5 0 0   mm ▁( 1 0 - 2 0 ▁in .) ▁ann ually ▁throughout ▁the ▁zone , ▁except ▁in ▁Lab r ador ▁which ▁may ▁receive ▁up ▁to ▁ 8 0 0   mm ▁( 3 1 ▁in .) ▁along ▁its ▁coast , ▁and ▁typically ▁increases ▁from ▁west ▁to ▁east . ▁ ▁The ▁shall ow ▁so ils ▁remain ▁d amp , ▁even ▁sog gy , ▁year - round , ▁and ▁regularly ▁free ze ▁and ▁th aw ▁without ▁d rain age . ▁This ▁leads ▁to ▁sh ifting ▁soil ▁that ▁randomly ▁til ts ▁growing ▁trees , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁li ken ed ▁to ▁a ▁" d run ken ▁forest ". ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : T a iga ▁and ▁bore al ▁for ests ▁Category : E co z ones ▁and ▁e cor eg ions ▁of