Canada’s Critical Minerals Report – July 2024
Lithium Prospects Drive Nearly $6 Million in Subsurface Mineral Bids in Saskatchewan
The Government of Saskatchewan’s first subsurface mineral public offering of the fiscal year, held on Monday, July 8, 2024, generated $5,935,425.46 in revenue, driven by interest in lithium potential.
Of the 18 subsurface permits posted for this offering, 16 received acceptable bids covering a total of 39,650.88 hectares. The permits, which are prospective for lithium, are located primarily in southeast Saskatchewan.
Synergy Land Services Ltd. spent $3,928,901.00 to acquire 11 permits for a total of 29,292.46 hectares. The permits are east of Weyburn, between Stoughton, Arcola and Lampman.
The highest bid also went to Synergy Land Services Ltd., which offered $976,229.00 for a 7,413.52 hectare block located northeast of Lampman.
Millennium Land Ltd. bid $1,974,126.96 to acquire four permits for a total of 9,061.05 hectares east of Weyburn between Stoughton and Arcola.
In west-central Saskatchewan, NRG LandSolutions Inc. bid $32,397.50 to acquire one permit southeast of Kerrobert, which measures 1,297.37 hectares.
Lithium is one of the 27 critical minerals that occur in Saskatchewan that will play a key role in the province achieving the goals set out in Saskatchewan’s Critical Minerals Strategy. Several firms are actively pursuing lithium exploration and production in the province.
There are three subsurface mineral public offerings scheduled each fiscal year. The next offering is scheduled for November 25, 2024.
Government of Newfoundland & Labrador Issues Expression of Interest for Julienne Lake Deposit
To further the development of critical minerals in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, today announced the issuing of an Expression of Interest for the potential development of the Julienne Lake iron ore deposit in western Labrador.
The Julienne Lake iron ore deposit is a large, undeveloped iron ore deposit approximately 25 kilometres from the town of Labrador City and Wabush. It is an Exempt Mineral Land (EML) meaning that its mineral rights belong to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The deposit has the potential to support a high-purity iron ore mining operation for decades which would result in significant economic and employment opportunities for the province, particularly Labrador. It is positioned to play a critical role as a new strategic raw material supply for green steel manufacturing to support global demand for decarbonized steel.
The Julienne Lake deposit hosts total Measured and Indicated Resources of 867 million tonnes at 33.7 per cent iron, plus an Inferred Resource of 299 million tonnes at 34.1 per cent iron.
Detailed proposals will be accepted from those who have provided expressions of interest and who have a demonstrated ability to bring the Julienne Lake project to, at a minimum, a completed feasibility study stage. The Expression of Interest can be viewed here and the deadline for submissions is December 6, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. NST. To learn more, please see the backgrounder below.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Critical Minerals Plan has identified the presence of 34 minerals in the province. These are minerals present in the province that are needed by Canada and other jurisdictions, and which are required as part of the energy transition, climate change action and adaptation. This province has been a leader in the designation of high-purity iron ore as a critical mineral, with both Quebec and the Government of Canada also identifying high-purity iron ore as a critical mineral. Due to its advantaged position in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steel manufacturing and the potential for further value-added activity as a green steel input, the development of Julienne Lake could play an important role in the green transition.
The mineral industry is an important contributor to Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy, with 8,500 persons employed in 2023 and 7.3 per cent of the 2022 provincial GDP. Mineral exploration and development primarily occurs in rural and remote regions of the province, creating opportunities for local businesses and facilitating investments in infrastructure, education and health care.
Battery Research Centre will Supercharge B.C.’s Clean-Energy Innovation
The Province is contributing $2 million through its Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) fund to establish a battery innovation centre at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus (UBCO).
This cutting-edge facility will focus on research and development of new battery technologies, advancing B.C.’s battery supply-chain sector and growing the Okanagan region’s role as a battery and critical-mineral hub.
“The battery innovation centre is a monumental step forward for British Columbia’s clean-energy transition, demonstrating the quality, leading-edge work emerging from the sector,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “People and industry are increasingly relying on battery-powered devices for cellphones, electric vehicles, medical equipment and more. This project will see multiple benefits, opening up new research and development opportunities and creating quality jobs for British Columbians.”
The battery innovation centre will be the first of its kind in Western Canada, serving as a critical hub for testing and scaling up next-generation battery technologies that have the potential to offer increased energy density, higher safety, and lower-cost alternatives to lithium-ion batteries.
In addition, the centre will support regional economic development through the battery sector’s circular supply chain, incorporating battery recycling and metal processing in the Kootenay region, battery manufacturing in the Lower Mainland, and critical mineral mining throughout B.C. Locally available materials, such as sulphur from mining and oil refineries, and tellurium recycled from smelting wastes, will be used to reduce the reliance on overseas critical minerals and support domestic production.
“We are grateful to the government of B.C. for this significant investment in the Battery Innovation Centre,” said Lesley Cormack, principal, UBC Okanagan. “Effective energy storage is a critical element of a low-carbon energy future and the work of our research team has already improved Canada’s battery supply chain. This investment will elevate that work even further by providing the necessary space to create and test battery prototypes on a larger scale.”
B.C.’s $2-million investment will go toward construction and equipment costs for a 2,000-square-foot pilot pouch cell facility within the battery innovation centre. The facility will produce commercial-scale pouch cells for use in medical devices and other applications.
Highway Upgrades Keep People Safe, Improve Services to First Nations
The Province and Energy and Natural Resources Canada are investing $195 million in Tahltan territory, enhancing road safety and reliability, opening up better access to more services for First Nations and local communities, as well as for critical minerals development.
“Mining is a part of our culture and economy. For thousands of years, Tahltans prospected, mined and traded obsidian. While we recognize the need for critical minerals for a low-carbon future, this can only happen with the free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples; therefore, the pace and scale of mining in our territory will be determined by the Tahltan Nation,” said Beverly Slater, President, Tahltan Central Government. “Today’s announcement regarding safer highways for our people is welcomed by the Tahltan Nation.”
Upgrades to Highways 37, 37A and 51 have long been a top priority for the Tahltan Central Government to address travel safety and essential services access for people in remote communities.
“Communities need resilient and reliable transportation infrastructure for safe travel and to access essential services, and also for efficient travel for the industry that local economies depend on,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “This significant investment into expanded and improved highways in B.C.’s northwest – an area of such rich critical minerals potential – benefits people, communities, and our climate.”
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure provided $120 million of the funding for this project.
“Safety is our number 1 priority,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “That’s why we are improving transportation infrastructure to support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods in remote B.C. communities, improve access for industrial development, and support community resiliency and reconciliation with First Nations communities.”
The project will provide a series of improvements for:
- Highway 37, including widening shoulders, creating pullouts for slow-moving vehicles, adding chain up/chain off areas, and increasing Wi-Fi access along 800 kilometres of roadway;
- Highway 37A, which provides access to Canada’s northernmost ice-free port, in Stewart; and
- Highway 51, connecting Telegraph Creek to Dease Lake and Highway 37.
Government of Canada Announces $11 Million to Advance Small Modular Reactor Research and Hydrogen Technologies to Support Clean Energy Development
As nations globally move to reduce carbon emissions and shift to non-emitting forms of energy, investing in advanced technologies will help ensure Canada remains a global energy leader. Through and beyond the energy transition that is already well underway, ultra-low carbon sources of energy such as wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power will be key to seizing the enormous economic opportunities that are available to Canadians in all regions of the country.
It is in this context that federal, provincial and territorial ministers are meeting in Calgary, Alberta, from July 3 to July 5, 2024, at the annual Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference, to share perspectives and continue driving momentum in the energy and mining sectors.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced $11 million in funding for nine energy technology projects — $2.5 million in funding for small modular reactor research and $8.5 million to support innovation in Canada’s clean hydrogen sector.
Of this funding, $5 million will be allocated to three projects in Alberta selected through the Energy Innovation Program’s (EIP) Clean Fuels and Industrial Fuel Switching call for proposals, including:
- $3,000,000 to Aurora Hydrogen Inc. to advance the use of microwave energy for pyrolysis technology to convert methane to hydrogen and solid carbon with minimal greenhouse gas emissions and no water use;
- $1,000,000 to Quantiam Technologies for the production of carbon-negative methanol and e-fuels from captured carbon dioxide and green hydrogen; and,
- $1,000,000 to Innova Hydrogen Corp for zero-carbon hydrogen production via catalytic methane pyrolysis.
The remaining four projects, also in Alberta, are funded through the EIP and support the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence, a strategic initiative led by Alberta Innovates. They include:
- $1,300,450 to ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd.,in partnership with Qualico, to conduct a feasibility assessment of a pure hydrogen pipeline network to heat new homes in the community of Bremner in Strathcona County, Alberta, including constructing a pure-hydrogen demonstration home;
- $1,264,550 to Innovative Fuel Systems to reduce emissions from heavy-duty vehicles by developing a hydrogen and diesel dual-fuel retrofit system applicable to 90 percent of heavy-duty engines;
- $508,935 to ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. to develop the Fort Saskatchewan Operating Centre into the first commercial 100-percent hydrogen-heated building in North America and as a demonstration site for end-user heating technologies that utilize pure and blended hydrogen with natural gas; and,
- $415,000 to New Wave Hydrogen Inc. to accelerate the time of methane thermal cracking for hydrogen production via shock wave heating technology in preparation for successive field pilots.
These projects will drive progress in energy innovation across Canada while positioning the country to become a leader in hydrogen and other critical energy technologies.
Nuclear energy is part of the suite of non-emitting technologies needed for the world to transition to a net-zero future. NRCan introduced the Enabling Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) Program in 2023 to support the development of supply chains for SMR manufacturing and fuel and fund research on SMR waste management solutions to ensure that SMRs, and the waste they generate, can be safely managed, now and into the future.
As part of the Enabling SMRs Program:
- The University of Regina will receive a total of $941,651 over three years to study long-term disposal strategies for intermediate level and non-fuel high level wastes from SMRs within Saskatchewan; and,
- The University of Alberta will receive a total of $1,656,000 over three years for its project on additive manufacturing (AM) of next-generation functionally graded materials for use in SMRs.
Canada is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and recognizes that close collaboration with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners and key stakeholders is crucial to building a thriving, inclusive, low-carbon economy. By working together through gatherings such as the annual Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference, Canada is advancing the most promising competitive advantages in every region of the country to drive a prosperous and sustainable economy for the future.
Government of Canada Helps Improve Women’s Participation in the Mining Sector
Women in all sectors of the economy often face gender-based biases, discrimination, and sexual harassment, which can make it more difficult for many to fulfill their potential and drive economic growth. With over $30 million invested in projects working to advance women’s participation in non-traditional professions since 2015, the Government of Canada is working hard to remove these barriers, benefitting women and all Canadians.
The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced $770,000 over two and a half years to the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR).
Representation of women in the Canadian mining workforce is three times lower than the average across all industries, and through the Changing Culture: Advancing Women’s Participation and Prosperity in Mining project, MiHR is working to change that. This funding will go towards MiHR’s efforts to address systemic barriers by working with mining companies to enhance companies’ policies and practices to create more inclusive workplace cultures that better respond to the needs of women. This work will promote sector-wide awareness of gender equality, sexual harassment, and gender-based violence issues.
Through projects like this, Women and Gender Equality Canada is ensuring women can unlock their full potential. When employers in non-traditional fields offer inclusive environments where women feel safe and supported, it leads to better working conditions, more economic security, and prosperity for everyone.
Government of Canada Invests Over $9 Million to Enable Made-In-Canada Lithium Battery Supply Chain in British Columbia
From mining to manufacturing cars and batteries, to charging and end-of-life recycling, the electric vehicle supply chain presents enormous economic opportunity for Canada. Canada is supporting strong domestic value chains for critical minerals and the clean technologies and energy sources they enable. The mining sector alone directly and indirectly employs over 700,000 Canadians and contributes almost $160 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product, providing notable economic benefits to Canadians across the country. Through strategic investments, the Government of Canada is building up every part of the supply chain at home, maximizing economic growth and job creation, and demonstrating why Canada is the most promising location for lithium-ion battery supply chains internationally.
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced two investments totaling over $9 million to Saltworks Technologies Inc. (Saltworks) and NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. (NESI) to support the battery supply chain in British Columbia under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program. These investments will support Canada’s ability to address a gap in midstream lithium processing through the advancement of Canadian technologies.
The $4,937,500 investment to Saltworks will be used to accelerate the concentration and conversion of Canadian lithium brine into lithium battery precursors using two novel technologies developed and tested by Saltworks. This project could accelerate access to lithium resources and reduce investment risk in Canada’s brine-to-battery lithium industry. An additional investment of $4,500,000 to NESI will support industrial-scale demonstration of membrane electrolysis technology for lithium production at NESI’s new test centre. The project will help commercialize sustainable lithium hydroxide production from a variety of lithium resources, enabling wide-scale industrial implementation of membrane electrolysis technology.
Canada is making significant investments in critical minerals — such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements — because they are essential to many modern technologies. The Government of Canada is committed to positioning Canada as a global leader and first-class producer of a wide variety of critical minerals and to the creation of secure value chains, from mines to manufacturing.
Ministerial Statement on Net Benefit Reviews of Canadian Critical Minerals Companies
There is a need for greater clarity about the Government of Canada’s views with respect to foreign capital in the Canadian mining sector, particularly when it comes to large Canadian-headquartered firms engaged in critical minerals operations.
Foreign capital will continue to play an important role in our industry. However, Canadians cannot ignore that we are in a world of geopolitical competition, with critical minerals at the very core of advanced industrial and defence policies. Canada welcomes foreign investment and recognizes how important it is, particularly for small Canadian firms to advance exploration and site development efforts. In this light, the Government must balance protecting Canada’s strategic interests while supporting the development of Canada’s resources. We have already recognized this in regard to the national security considerations set out in our recent update to the Canadian Critical Minerals Policy.
As the Minister responsible for the Investment Canada Act, I am building further on these efforts with a clear signal about how Net Benefit reviews under the legislation will be conducted when it comes to important Canadian mining companies engaged in significant critical minerals operations. Henceforth, such transactions will only be found of net benefit in the most exceptional of circumstances. This high bar is reflective of the strategic importance of Canada’s critical minerals sector and how important it is that we take decisive action to protect it.