Building on major funding late last year, Vancouver-based pH7 Technologies recently revealed that is expanding its operating metals processing facility in Vancouver to scale the recovery of platinum group metals and strengthen regional supply chains for critical metals.
By expanding processing operations, pH7 aims to increase domestic capacity to recover and process critical metals while reducing the environmental impacts associated with conventional metal production via proprietary technology.
“pH7 Technologies’ expansion demonstrates how Canadian ingenuity is delivering cleaner, more efficient ways to recover the metals essential to batteries and other technologies,” commented Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
Demand for platinum group metals is expected to grow as industries expand hydrogen technologies, electrification infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing, says Mohammad Doostmohammadi, Chief Executive Officer of pH7 Technologies. At the same time, supply chains for these materials remain geographically concentrated and often rely on energy-intensive production methods.
“Critical metals like platinum and palladium are essential to modern industry, yet their supply chains remain concentrated and environmentally intensive,” Doostmohammadi stated.
“Our technology allows us to recover and process these metals locally while eliminating wastewater and dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of production,” the CEO said. “Scaling our Vancouver facility is an important step toward building a more resilient and sustainable regional supply of critical metals.”
The Canadian Cleantech firm is also receiving advisory services and up to $4 million in funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program to help advance the company’s proprietary metallurgical processing technologies.
Mitch Davies, President of National Research Council of Canada, says pH7 Technologies is “advancing clean and sustainable solutions in the critical minerals sector.”
Investing in pH7 Technologies through the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program “will help Canada capitalize on the rising global demand for critical minerals, add value and jobs here at home, and reinforce our global leadership in responsible mineral development,” remarked Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry.
The support will spur a research and development project to accelerate scaling of pH7’s organo-electrochemical processes for recovering key minerals from secondary materials.