Canada has dozens of critical minerals. Here are the key ones and how they are used – National | 24CA News
Canada’s new billion-dollar plan to spice up its essential minerals sector will deal with six specific supplies which might be essential elements of electrical automobiles, clear vitality applied sciences and extra.
While the technique unveiled Friday lists 31 minerals it labeled as “critical,” the six which might be below the highlight — lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, copper and uncommon earth parts — maintain “the most significant potential for Canadian economic growth,” in response to the federal authorities.
Read extra:
Canada unveils new essential minerals technique eyeing ‘generational opportunity’
Read More
Those mining sectors may also be the preliminary focus of the practically $4 billion in federal investments below the brand new plan.
Here’s a better have a look at these supplies, what they’re used for, and the place Canada at the moment stands with every of them.
Lithium is at the moment some of the sought-after supplies on the earth. Not solely is it a key element in rechargeable batteries for electrical automobiles, smartphones and computer systems, additionally it is contained in metallic alloys utilized in navy armour, plane, and practice elements, in addition to hydrogen gas storage containers.
But its use in batteries makes lithium a key mineral for the worldwide clear vitality transition.
Although Canada doesn’t produce lithium, it has “large hard rock spodumene deposits and brine-based lithium resources,” from which lithium could be extracted. The new technique seeks to introduce home manufacturing services that reap the benefits of these assets.
Canada’s lithium reserves have been the sixth-largest on the earth as of 2020, however they solely account for two.5 per cent of the worldwide provide. Australia and Chile lead the world in each reserves and manufacturing.
“We shouldn’t get too excited that we’re going to be one of the big producers around the world when it comes to mining,” mentioned Jack Mintz, who heads the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy and is a senior fellow on the Fraser Institute.
“Hopefully we’ll have enough production that will just satisfy our own needs, but we’re certainly not a big producer by any means compared to other countries like Australia.”
The technique identifies different methods to extract lithium, together with by way of recycling of lithium-ion batteries through home recycling services.
Graphite is present in rechargeable battery anodes in addition to electrical automobile gas cells and automobile brake linings. It can be utilized in electrical motor elements and frictionless supplies — key elements of wind generators and different clear applied sciences.
Canada is among the many prime world producers of graphite, with a number of mines in Quebec and Ontario both working, newly accredited or below environmental evaluation. The Black Crystal Quarry and Plant in British Columbia additionally mines graphite.
Another rechargeable battery element, nickel may also be present in photo voltaic panels in addition to aerospace and navy plane.
Canada has nickel manufacturing services in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, making the nation one of many main world producers and suppliers. The nation is dwelling to almost 3 million tonnes of nickel reserves.
Cobalt is primarily present in battery electrodes however is moreover utilized in turbine engine elements, automobile airbags and magnets. Along with lithium, graphite and nickel, cobalt is among the many 4 primary minerals wanted for electrical automobile batteries.
The mineral is definitely primarily produced as a by-product of nickel mining in Canada, however new tasks search to alter that and ramp up manufacturing, together with a major cobalt mine within the Northwest Territories and North America’s first cobalt refinery in northern Ontario.
Canada is already a top-five cobalt producer globally, in response to the federal government.
A key wiring materials, copper is important for powering buildings, automobiles, telecommunications and different electrical elements. It’s additionally utilized in photo voltaic panel cells and electrical automobiles.
Copper is produced in provinces throughout the nation, in contrast to many different essential minerals which might be primarily present in Quebec and Ontario. Canada is a number one world producer, accounting for practically three per cent of all copper manufacturing in 2020.
A gaggle of 15 parts generally known as lanthanides, uncommon earth parts are present in a few of the most widely-used electronics in fashionable society, together with contact screens, televisions, LED lights and audio system. They are additionally a key element of everlasting magnets, together with these utilized in electrical automobile motors and wind generators.
Canada has a few of the largest identified reserves and assets uncommon earth parts on the earth, in response to the federal government, estimated at over 14 million tonnes as of 2021.
In addition to boosting manufacturing, the brand new technique can be eyeing the potential to extract uncommon earth parts from recycled magnets.
Read extra:
Trudeau sees ‘real opportunity’ for collaboration with U.S. on electrical automobiles, essential minerals
What different minerals are vital?
Although these six minerals shall be targeted on first, the technique additionally mentions a sequence of different supplies that “present notable prospects for the future.”
Those minerals — together with vanadium, gallium, titanium, scandium, magnesium, tellurium, sinx, niobium and germanium — can all be present in varied clear applied sciences and different fashionable tools. Potash, uranium and aluminum are additionally highlighted.
The authorities says the listing of 31 minerals shall be reviewed and up to date each few years.
— With information from Global News’ Saba Aziz and Bryan Mullan
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
