Sask. could be 'major producer' of rare earth minerals
Mike Crabtree hopes Saskatchewan will serve as a catalyst for the rare earth elements industry.
“The actual demand for rare earths is going to hockey stick literally over the next 10 years and Saskatchewan has the opportunity to be a major producer,” said Crabtree, president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Research Council.
Crabtree made his comments at Nutrien Tower in Saskatoon on a panel for Saskatchewan Mining Week.
He said all 17 rare earth elements can be found in Saskatchewan. They are used in products such as cell phones, televisions, computers, vehicles and wind turbines.
The council is set to begin opening its $35 million rare earth processing facility next year, the first of its kind in North America.
Crabtree said the West must establish its own supply chain for the products, or else be "completely reliant on China."
Saskatchewan Mining Association Chair Larry Long said a lot of exploration is happening in the province, which bodes well for the mineral industry.
Long is also the senior vice president of potash operations at Nutrien. He addressed the role his company is playing to help with the Russia-Ukraine conflict's effect on global food security. The company has upped
its potash production to 15 million tonnes from 14 million.
“We're going to have to help with food security in places that just don't have access to the fertilizer,” Long said.
Zach Maurer, president and CEO of Prairie Lithium, talked about the growing demand for lithium. The company is looking for lithium brines in southeastern Saskatchewan and is scaling up its lithium extraction process.
“There is a huge potential for lithium resources in Saskatchewan. Just a massive future demand for lithium and a great opportunity to develop these resources in Saskatchewan," he said.
Maurer said the world will need to produce “triple to quadruple” the amount of lithium produced by 2025.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 'A carbon tax election': MPs debate Conservative non-confidence motion in Liberal government
MPs in the House of Commons are debating the Conservatives’ non-confidence motion today, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre calling for 'a carbon tax election,' and a return to what he called 'the Canadian promise' in a 20-minute speech.
EXCLUSIVE Image released of mysterious object shot down over Yukon in 2023
An image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023 has been obtained by CTVNews.ca.
Couple in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., awarded more than $500K for enduring life with hellish neighbour
We've all had neighbours we didn't like, but two people from Sault Ste. Marie have been awarded more than half a million dollars for the 'extreme' behaviour of the people who lived next to them.
Police arrest five people in Spain over fake Brad Pitt scam after two women lost US$362,000
Police in Spain have arrested five people accused of scamming two women out of 325,000 euros (US$362,000) by pretending to be Hollywood star Brad Pitt online.
Health Canada approves Pfizer-BioNTech's updated COVID-19 vaccine
Health Canada has approved Pfizer-BioNTech's updated COVID-19 vaccine that protects against one of the most recently circulating variants of the virus.
Canadians in Lebanon told to get out while flights available, don't wait for government evacuation
The federal government is advising Canadians in Lebanon to leave now while commercial flights are available, saying, 'Canada is not currently offering assisted departures or evacuations.'
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has Parkinson's
Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre revealed Tuesday at a hearing on federal welfare reform that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Ontario woman seen in viral video of Porsche theft now facing more charges
An 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in a caught-on-video incident in Mississauga earlier this month is now facing auto theft charges in Toronto.
Bank of Canada says it's reasonable to expect more rate cuts
Given the continued progress the Bank of Canada has made in bringing inflation back down to the 2 per cent target, it is reasonable to expect more rate cuts, Governor Tiff Macklem said on Tuesday.