Could the Vinlanders (or some other pre-columbian inhabitans of Newfoundland) exploit the iron resources of
Bell Island?
I have no idea how mining works or if the Scandinavians even had the technology but I think the idea of Vinlanders introducing iron to the new world is fascinating.
It took 150 years for the settlers to finally start mining so I would guess no.
Except that by that point, it was cheaper to import iron from Europe than to undertake the expense of setting up a mine.
Note that the first discovery was made in 1578, which is pretty darned early, and that about 50 years later the locals, who lived by hunting and fishing, tried to get ownership of the ore body and failed.
Newfoundland has a decent supply of bog iron, probably quite adequate for local use. My guess is theres not going to be much incentive for iron mining until the settlement expands well beyond the bog-iron area.
Actually, if Bell Island is settled first for farming, the farms may start using ore instead of bog iron for the smithies most Icelandic (and probably Vinlandic) farms had.
But AFAIK at least some of the ore is pretty accessible, and as demand grew theyd probably start supplying it.
Note, too, that while bog iron is essentially a renewable resource, there are stong limits on how much you can harvest in a single year, so if demand does grow, the miners on Bell Island could expand to fill any foreseeable demand but the farms using bog iron couldnt expand a lot.