Saskatchewan has the resources needed for producing the technology needed in a green energy world. That is one of the topics of Mining Week hosted by the Saskatchewan Mining Association.
Gary Delaney, Chief Geologist of the Saskatchewan Geological Survey with the Ministry of Energy and Resources, says the province has 22 of the 31 critical minerals on Canada’s list. He explains that the list includes metals and non-metals considered vital for new technologies, which may be at risk due to supply issues. Delaney says, increasing global demand for critical minerals present opportunities for growth.
One of the sectors showing great promise in Saskatchewan is rare earth elements, or REE.
The Saskatchewan Research Council’s Rare Earth Elements Processing Facility in Saskatoon is slated to open in the fall of next year. Vice-President of the SRC’s REE division, Muhammad Imran, says the elements are used in the technology for things like batteries, wind turbines and electric cars. He says rare earth ore prices have increased by 250 per cent and rare earth product prices have doubled.
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