Currently, more than 60 minerals and metals are produced by over 200 mines across the country.
The Government of Canada says it is investing to put “mineral wealth to work.”
Leveraging geology, talent, and partnerships with industry, the federal government is aiming to build an “end-to-end value chain.”
At the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson announced over $3.6 billion in new programs and investments to unlock Canada’s critical minerals advantage and deliver Canadian minerals from mine to market.
“Canada has the minerals the world wants,” says Hodgson.
The Minister announced $165 million for 22 Canadian minerals projects, including four cleantech projects receiving $18M through the Energy Innovation Program.
“We are purposefully building and on-shoring full, domestic value chains that create good jobs, strengthen our economic and national security, and support rural, remote, and northern communities,” stated Hodgson.
The Energy Innovation Program funding includes $5M for Toronto’s CleanDesign to install hybrid Energy Management System technologies at B2Gold’s Goose Mine in Nunavut.
CleanDesign’s system utilizes proprietary software system that leverages machine learning with batteries that work with the mine’s existing diesel generators at power stations to improve efficiency and reduce operating and maintenance costs.
ReThink Milling, also from Toronto, is receiving $5M as well. The company will advance its Conjugate Anvil Hammer Mill technology which breaks rocks using less energy.
Montreal’s Green Graphite Technologies meanwhile garnered $4.8M to demonstrate a lower‑energy process to upgrade near‑surface graphite for use in lithium‑ion batteries. The demo will use graphite from Weaver Energy’s permitted quarry in British Columbia.
And Burnaby’s Nano One Materials is getting $3M to research, develop, and optimize methods of producing lithium iron phosphate cathode active material using various forms of iron feedstock.
“We are very grateful to NRCan and the Government of Canada for their continued support,” commented Nano One CEO Dan Blondal. “These funds support us as we bring cost competitive and scalable LFP processing technology alternatives to markets, strategic partners and customers around the world, and they help us enhance our commercial offerings and supply chain solutions.”
The “investments are about catalyzing more mining from coast to coast to coast, so we can meet demand with Canadian materials,” remarked Hodgson, “to the benefit of hardworking Canadian families.”