Global Race for Critical Minerals
- what do smartphones,solar panels,electric vehicle batteries,and military equipment all have in common?
- Vince Beiser, author of Power Metal: The race for the Resources that Will Shape the Future, emphasized their importance, stating, "They're absolutely the central thing for what I...
- Some trade experts consider critical minerals the "bedrocks" of a new era of technological advancement,drawing parallels to the transformative impact of the steam engine during the Industrial...
Canada’s critical Minerals: Fueling the Green and Digital Economy
Table of Contents
- Canada’s critical Minerals: Fueling the Green and Digital Economy
- CanadaS Critical Minerals: Answering your Top Questions
- What are critical Minerals and Why are They Crucial?
- What Makes a Mineral “Critical” in Canada?
- What critical Minerals Does canada Have?
- What are Canada’s Top Critical Minerals?
- What is Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy?
- What are Some Challenges Facing Canadian Mining?
- What are the Geopolitical implications of Critical Minerals?
what do smartphones,solar panels,electric vehicle batteries,and military equipment all have in common? They all rely on critical minerals,essential components that power the modern technology we use every day.
Vince Beiser, author of Power Metal: The race for the Resources that Will Shape the Future, emphasized their importance, stating, “They’re absolutely the central thing for what I call the electro-digital age.” He further explained, “This era that we’re moving into that’s going to be defined by renewably generated electricity and digital technology. Can’t make that stuff without critical metals.”
Some trade experts consider critical minerals the “bedrocks” of a new era of technological advancement,drawing parallels to the transformative impact of the steam engine during the Industrial Revolution.
Elizabeth Steyn, a professor of law at the University of Calgary specializing in critical minerals, notes that these elements are vital for the transition to green energy and digital technologies, and also serve essential military functions.
Canada’s Critical Mineral resources
Jacob Lorinc,a mining reporter at Bloomberg,observed,”Historically,Canada has really been the world’s sort of top destination for mining companies and prospectors.”
Canada boasts a list of 34 critical minerals and metals. Mines, refineries, and dedicated projects are underway in every Canadian province and territory, with the exception of P.E.I.
Criteria for Inclusion on canada’s Critical Minerals List
For a mineral to be included on the list,it’s supply chain must be at risk,and there must be a “reasonable chance” of it being produced in Canada. Additionally, it must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- It’s essential to Canada’s economic or national security.
- It’s required for the transition to “a enduring low-carbon and digital economy.”
- It helps Canada position itself as “a strategic partner” in the global supply chain.
Within Canada’s broader list,a group of 17 metals known as “rare earth elements” or lanthanides are also present,sometimes co-occurring with radioactive elements.
Steyn clarifies, “Rare earths are a good example of how critical minerals are not necessarily rare, but they can be scarce.” While lanthanides are found throughout the earth’s crust, “they are found in such small quantities that it’s very difficult to find a place where we can actually mine them in a commercially feasible manner.”