Saskatchewan’s critical mineral advantage The province is at the centre of a worldwide race to find sustainable and reliable sources of minerals
Provided by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources
G
rowing global populations, the
Saskatchewan offers our province a
Saskatchewan is currently the world’s top
adoption of clean technology,
unique opportunity to build upon its
producer of potash, boasts the world’s
and geopolitical uncertainty are
strong foundation as a global supplier of
highest-grade uranium deposits, and has
driving an unprecedented level
food and energy security, and to become
a thriving helium sector, but the province
of focus from governments and compa-
a key supplier of the critical minerals that
has the potential to also advance significant
nies around the world on the sustainable
are essential to the planet’s future.
projects in lithium, copper, zinc, REEs,
In March of 2023, the Government of
nickel, and cobalt to production.
At the centre of this focus is critical
Saskatchewan launched Securing the
minerals, and Saskatchewan is home to
Future: Saskatchewan’s Critical Minerals
In Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Research
23 of the 31 minerals found on Canada’s
Strategy, to drive increased exploration
critical mineral list. Critical minerals
and grow resource development in the
are key inputs in renewable power
province.
and reliable supply of natural resources.
generation, fertilizer, clean electricity technologies, electric vehicles, and are essential for electronic devices and other products we commonly use every day. One example of critical minerals in action is smartphones. While brands and devices vary, on average there are a staggering 14 different critical minerals inside a smartphone. There are three main reasons why governments and companies worldwide are in a race to explore for, mine, process, and refine these minerals. They are of strategic importance to economic and national security, and they are vulnerable to supply-chain disruptions. The presence of these minerals in 14 2023-2024 Northern Prospector
first
fully
integrated,
commercial
demonstration Rare Earth Processing Facility with hydrometallurgy, separation,
The strategy has focused goals that include
Council is constructing North America’s
increasing
Saskatchewan’s
share of Canadian mineral exploration spending, doubling the number of critical
and metal smelting stages. Expected to be fully operational in late 2024, this facility will be among the world’s most sustainable for the extraction and processing of rare
minerals being produced in the province,
earth elements.
establishing Saskatchewan as a rare earth
Two provincial government programs were
element hub and growing Saskatchewan production of potash, uranium, and helium.
expanded in 2023 to boost investment, encourage exploration and improve the province’s global competitiveness in the
As the world transitions to a clean energy
critical minerals space. The Targeted
economy, global demand for critical
Mineral
minerals is set to skyrocket by 400 to 600
increased from $750,000 to $4 million
per cent over the next several decades.
annually and geographic and mineral
Minerals such as lithium and graphite,
eligibility was expanded. This opens the
used in electric vehicle batteries, will see
program to hard-rock mineral exploration
demand increase by as much as 4,000 per
anywhere in the province. This program
cent.
is
Exploration
intended
to
Incentive
increase
was
exploration
