Clean Air Metals Inc.: Exploration and development with sustainability in mind

By Dana Campbell and Abraham Drost

Clean Air Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based platinumpalladium exploration and development public company (AiR.TsXV). The Company’s flagship asset is the 100-per cent owned, high-grade Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals (TBNCM) project, a platinum, palladium, nickel, and copper project approximately 50 kilometres northeast of the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Clean Air Metals Inc., formed by RTO, commenced trading on the TSX in May 2020. The potential to advance exploration on the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals project was an intriguing venture given the increased demand for carbon-free transportation and global environmental standards. In addition, the importance of developing the TBNCM project was reinforced by the announcement of Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy.

explORatiOn

The TBNCM project hosts twin deposits; the Current deposit and the Escape deposit. There have been over 88,000 metres of diamond drilling between the two deposits since May 2020. Before 2020, the Current deposit had been extensively drilled and welldefined, with over 162,000 metres of drilling conducted between 2006 to 2016. in May 2020, drilling commenced on the Escape deposit and continues today with approximately 74,300 metres drilled. The exploration drilling has defined the escape deposit as an economic ore body with untapped potential.

mine develOpment

Clean Air Metals recently announced a robust mine plan and cash flow model as part of a Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Current and Escape PGE-Cu-Ni Deposits of the TBNCM Project. The mine plan shows impressive metrics with total revenue of $2.2 billion over the 10-year rampaccess underground mine plan on both

Current and Escape Deposits.

The Company is committed to the sustainable development of platinumgroup metals (PGMs), copper, and nickel. The Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals project principal payable commodity suite (Ni-Cu-PGMs) will significantly contribute to carbon neutrality. Platinum is critical to the emerging hydrogen economy. Platinum and palladium are required components in catalytic converters in internal combustion engines worldwide. Copper is the conductor of choice for electric vehicles (eV) and electrical grid infrastructure.

Future underground mine production at Thunder Bay North would feature a small footprint and an electrical power grid that is 100 per cent renewable with majority hydroelectric, plus wind and solar. The Company will maximize the use of electric-powered equipment in terms of mine design. Using electricpowered equipment will create a more sustainable mine and safer air quality in the underground environment.

Total payable mined metal production over a 10-year mine life based on the current resource base is expected to be 629 k oz Platinum, 618 k oz Palladium, 111 M pounds copper, 57 M pounds Nickel, 38 k oz Gold, 850 k oz silver, or 2.8 million ounces in palladium equivalents.

cOmmunity RelatiOns

Clean Air Metals has achieved significant progress with its First Nation Partners, Fort William First Nation, Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek, and Red Rock Indian Band through a Memorandum of Agreement effective as of January 8, 2020, and an exploration Agreement effective as of April 13, 2022. The Agreements have set a foundation for collaborative and respectful communications to facilitate meaningful consultation with the participating communities to ensure respect and protection of aboriginal and traditional territorial and treaty rights. In addition, the Company is initiating an impact Benefits Agreement (iBA) around the project economics of the ongoing feasibility study process.

The Company has ongoing communication with the Metis Nation of Ontario and Red Sky Metis Independent Nation.

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