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Can #Canada and #UnitedStates Mine Enough #RareEarthElements to Meet Future Demand?

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Map showing the distribution of rare earth element deposits and occurrences in North America, highlighting locations in Canada and the United States.

As the world accelerates toward electrification and clean energy, rare earth elements (REEs) have become some of the most strategically important minerals on the planet. They are essential components in electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, computers, advanced defense systems, and countless other technologies that power modern life.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Michigan suggests that North America may have the resources needed to build a more self-reliant rare earth supply chain—provided the right economic and policy conditions are in place.

Growing Demand for Critical Minerals

Global demand for rare earth elements is expected to rise significantly over the coming decades. Researchers estimate that worldwide demand will increase from approximately 91 kilotons in 2024 to 123 kilotons by 2030 and 150 kilotons by 2040.

Today, however, the global rare earth industry remains heavily concentrated. China accounts for roughly 70% of global rare earth mining, while the United States contributes only about 11%. This imbalance has raised concerns about supply chain security, economic competitiveness, and national defense readiness.

Assessing North America’s Resource Potential

The University of Michigan team evaluated 28 rare earth deposits across North America, analyzing factors such as ore tonnage, mineral grade, and total rare earth oxide content. Their findings indicate that North America possesses enough rare earth resources to satisfy U.S. demand for decades.

The challenge is not the availability of resources, but whether those resources can be extracted economically.

Many North American deposits are lower in quality than leading operations in China and Australia. In addition, some deposits contain elements such as thorium, a naturally occurring radioactive material that can increase mining and disposal costs.

Despite these challenges, researchers believe several deposits could support a competitive domestic supply chain, particularly if governments provide targeted support during the industry’s development phase.

Light vs. Heavy Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements are typically divided into two categories: light rare earths and heavy rare earths.

Light rare earth elements are more abundant and are widely used in magnets, batteries, electronics, and renewable energy technologies. Heavy rare earth elements are less common but highly valuable because they improve the performance and heat resistance of high-strength magnets.

The study found a geographic advantage across North America:

  • The United States holds substantial deposits of light rare earth elements.
  • Canada possesses many of the region’s most significant heavy rare earth deposits.

This distribution suggests that a coordinated North American strategy could strengthen supply security while leveraging the strengths of both countries.

Why Domestic Mining Matters

Rare earth elements are classified as critical minerals because they support industries vital to economic growth, clean energy, and national security. Supply disruptions can have far-reaching consequences, affecting everything from electric vehicle manufacturing to advanced military technologies.

Historically, the United States mined rare earths at California’s Mountain Pass mine, but much of the industry’s processing capacity eventually shifted overseas. Today, experts argue that rebuilding domestic mining alone is not enough. North America must also develop processing, refining, and manufacturing capabilities to create a fully integrated supply chain.

The Path Forward

The study concludes that North America has the geological resources needed to establish a more resilient rare earth industry. However, success will depend on balancing economic viability, environmental responsibility, and strategic investment.

As demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced technologies continues to grow, developing a secure domestic supply of rare earth elements could become one of the most important industrial challenges—and opportunities—of the coming decades.

Reliance, Vedanta, Adani: Investing in India’s Rare Earth Future

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A silhouette of India filled with colorful rare earth mineral stones, set against a landscape featuring wind turbines and electric vehicle charging stations, highlighting the theme of sustainable energy.

Indian industrial groups Reliance, Vedanta and Adani have shown interest in developing facilities to process Andhra Pradesh state’s significant reserves of increasingly important rare-earth minerals, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

With New Delhi seeking to cut India’s dependence on China for rare earths, the three companies are among about 10 who have expressed interest in setting up rare earth facilities in the southern state, one of the sources said.

Andhra Pradesh holds 211 million metric tons of beach sand mineral resources, including rare earths, across 16 identified coastal deposits, according to a draft document. India has 482.6 million tons of rare earth ore resources, according to the Geological Survey of India.

RARE EARTH AMBITIONS

The interest comes as New Delhi steps up efforts to build domestic rare earth mining, processing and magnet manufacturing capacity, while Andhra Pradesh aims to attract 500 billion rupees ($5.2 billion) in rare earth and titanium investments over the next decade.

The plans were set out in a draft government document.

The Andhra Pradesh government, Reliance Industries Ltd, Vedanta Ltd and Adani Enterprises Ltd did not respond to Reuters emails seeking comment.

Andhra Pradesh was among four states identified in February’s federal budget for the development of rare earth “corridors” covering mining, processing and magnet production.

The initiative followed New Delhi’s approval in November of a 73 billion rupee programme to support rare earth magnet manufacturing.

Rare earth elements are essential for permanent magnets used in applications such as electric vehicle motors. While India holds substantial rare earth reserves, it lacks industrial-scale facilities capable of processing the minerals to high purity levels.

CAPITAL INCENTIVES AND OTHER MEASURES

Andhra Pradesh plans to issue tenders for rare earth facilities after securing cabinet approval for its rare earth corridor policy, which is expected within a month, the sources said.

The state also plans to offer capital-linked incentives and additional benefits for projects with investments of 10 billion rupees or more, the sources said.

Andhra Pradesh has been courting large-scale investments, attracting companies including Google and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, and aims to secure $1 trillion in investment commitments by 2029, a state minister told Reuters last November.

‘#India not realising potential of #RareEarth industry’

October 19, 2016 

‘#India not realising potential of #RareEarth industry’ | A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info

Source: MSN

Podcast Episode: #China’s Zero-Tariff Policy Boosts #African Trade

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Visit the YouTube Channel INOV8RS CLUB WHERE INNOVATIVE MINDS MEET https://www.youtube.com/@NanthakumarVictorEmmanuel18

Pip: Welcome to the blog where the earth gives up its metals, its minerals, and apparently its trade policy opinions — this is A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info.

Mara: Today’s episode comes from Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng, and it covers a significant shift in how China and Africa are structuring their trade relationship — and what that might mean for African industry.

Pip: Let’s start with the zero-tariff expansion and what it actually unlocks for African exporters.

China Opens Its Market to All of Africa

Pip: The core question here is whether a tariff policy can do more than just move goods — whether it can actually reshape what African economies produce and how they fit into global supply chains.

Mara: The post frames the stakes clearly from the outset: “China has expanded its zero-tariff policy to include all 53 African nations with which it maintains diplomatic relations, opening new opportunities for African exports and industrial development at a time when global trade is increasingly affected by protectionist policies.”

Pip: So the timing is the thing. While other major economies are pulling up the drawbridge, this policy is explicitly moving the other direction — and that contrast is the whole story.

Mara: The numbers back that up. Bilateral trade between China and Africa hit a record 348 billion US dollars in 2025. Chinese imports from Africa reached 123 billion, with year-on-year growth of 5.4 percent. The policy took effect immediately — a shipment of 24 tonnes of South African apples was the first to clear customs under the new arrangement, in Shenzhen.

Pip: Twenty-four tonnes of apples as the symbolic opening act of a continental trade realignment. History is rarely glamorous.

Mara: Previously, tariff-free access applied to 33 of Africa’s least-developed countries. The expansion adds 20 more economies — Kenya, Egypt, and Nigeria among them — covering products like Kenyan coffee and avocados, cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and South African citrus and wine, which had faced tariffs of 8 to 30 percent.

Mara: Scholars from Tsinghua University and the University of International Business and Economics argue the real prize is what follows: tariff-free access could pull manufacturing and processing investment into Africa, helping the continent move beyond raw material exports toward finished goods.

Pip: That shift — from digging it up to actually processing it — is exactly the kind of industrial development this blog exists to track.

Mara: The arrangement runs for an initial two-year period while longer-term agreements are developed under the China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development framework. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called the move timely and described it as a gesture of solidarity.

Pip: Trade policy as solidarity — a framing worth sitting with, whatever you make of it.

Pip: Raw materials leaving a continent, finished goods coming back — that gap is where industrialization either happens or doesn’t.

Mara: Whether the investment follows the tariff relief is the question the next few years will answer. We’ll be watching.

#China’s Zero-Tariff Policy Boosts #African Trade

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Map illustrating trade routes between China and Africa, highlighting key cities and connectivity. Points of interest include trading hubs and growth statistics. Emphasizes partnership and infrastructure development.

As Chinese and African citizens increasingly reap the mutual benefits of trade, America is losing out by heading in the opposite direction.

Source: Opinion; The Washington Post

The State Council; The People Republic of China.

China has expanded its zero-tariff policy to include all 53 African nations with which it maintains diplomatic relations, opening new opportunities for African exports and industrial development at a time when global trade is increasingly affected by protectionist policies.

The policy took effect immediately, with a shipment of 24 tonnes of South African apples becoming the first African products to enter China under the expanded tariff-free arrangement after clearing customs in Shenzhen.

Previously, China had already eliminated tariffs on all product categories from 33 of Africa’s least-developed countries starting December 2024. The latest expansion extends similar benefits to 20 additional African economies, including Kenya, Egypt, and Nigeria. Under the arrangement, these countries will enjoy preferential zero-tariff access for an initial two-year period while China works toward establishing long-term trade agreements through the China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development framework.

According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the measure will improve the competitiveness of African exports such as cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, Kenyan coffee and avocados, and South African citrus fruits and wine, which previously faced tariffs ranging from 8% to 30%. The ministry also believes the initiative will encourage greater investment in Africa by attracting capital, technology, equipment, and management expertise to support local processing industries. This, in turn, is expected to create a more balanced and sustainable trade relationship between China and Africa.

The decision has been widely welcomed as a strong signal of China’s commitment to economic openness during a period when many countries are adopting more restrictive trade policies. African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf described the move as both timely and beneficial for Africa, noting that the continent continues to face numerous global challenges, including rising protectionism. He expressed appreciation for what he called a gesture of solidarity from China.

China remains Africa’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached a record US$348 billion in 2025, with Chinese imports from Africa totaling US$123 billion, representing year-on-year growth of 5.4%.

Experts believe the impact of the policy will extend beyond trade. Scholars from institutions including Tsinghua University and University of International Business and Economics argue that tariff-free access could encourage multinational companies to establish manufacturing and processing facilities in Africa, supporting industrialization and helping the continent move beyond its traditional role as a supplier of raw materials.

The initiative also aligns with China’s broader economic strategy of expanding international openness and improving trade and investment cooperation through 2030. Analysts suggest that Chinese consumers will benefit as well, gaining access to a wider range of competitively priced African products. Businesses have already begun preparing to increase imports, including Kenyan tea processors that expect significantly lower costs under the new tariff regime.

Overall, the expanded zero-tariff policy is expected to strengthen China-Africa economic ties, boost African exports, attract investment, and support long-term industrial growth across the continent.

Source: The State Council; The People Republic of China.

Podcast Episode: Rare Earths And Trade Tensions

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Pip: Welcome to the podcast where we track what the earth gives up and what the markets make of it — rare earths, trade deficits, and the occasional geopolitical scramble.

Mara: Today’s episode, shaped by posts from Nanthakumar Victor Emmanuel, P.Eng, covers three connected territories: Europe pushing back on its trade imbalance with China, a long-term rare earth supply deal out of Greenland, and the magnet problem sitting inside the Pentagon’s drone ambitions.

Pip: Let’s start with the EU-China trade picture.

EU and China: Rebalancing an Unequal Trade

Mara: The European Union is signaling it wants a different kind of relationship with China — one where the trade flows more evenly and the strategic vulnerabilities get addressed.

Pip: The numbers make the case bluntly. The EU’s trade deficit with China reached approximately 360 billion euros last year, and the post notes that “particular concern has centered on rare earth minerals after China imposed export restrictions last year, exposing Europe’s heavy reliance on Chinese supplies.”

Mara: So the upshot is Europe is not just haggling over tariffs — it’s reckoning with structural dependency. A summit in Brussels on June 18 and 19 is expected to advance those discussions, with a possible visit from China’s commerce minister also on the table.

Pip: Which makes Greenland’s rare earth story land with considerably more weight.

The Tanbreez Deal: Greenland’s 15-Year Commitment

Mara: The Tanbreez project in Greenland is one of the world’s largest known heavy rare earth deposits, and it just got a significant commercial anchor.

Pip: Critical Metals has signed a 15-year binding offtake agreement with REalloys, and the post quotes directly: “REalloys will receive priority rights to concentrate containing higher levels of the critical heavy rare earth elements, dysprosium and terbium, along with a right of first refusal over additional volumes.”

Mara: Those two elements — dysprosium and terbium — are exactly the heavy rare earths that go into the high-performance magnets defense and clean energy applications depend on. The deal formalizes and expands a non-binding agreement from last October, and follows Greenland’s April approval for Critical Metals to raise its ownership stake in the project to 92.5%.

Pip: Fifteen years is a long runway. That’s not a spot purchase — that’s a supply chain being built from the ground up.

Mara: Pricing is linked to international rare earth oxide benchmarks, and deliveries ship from the Tanbreez port in southern Greenland. The post frames this in the context of the U.S. and its allies stepping up efforts to secure critical mineral supplies outside China.

Pip: And REalloys turns up in the drone story too — which is where the magnet dependency gets very concrete.

300,000 Drones and the Magnet Bottleneck

Mara: The Pentagon has placed the largest drone order in American history — 30,000 one-way attack drones, with a target of scaling past 300,000 by early 2028. Every one runs on a rare earth magnet.

Pip: And the post puts the constraint in one number: “roughly 98% of the world’s magnets are manufactured in China.” That is a supply chain risk dressed up as an ambition.

Mara: REalloys is positioned as a direct response to that gap — holding what the post describes as the only fully non-Chinese mine-to-magnet heavy rare earth supply chain in North America, from processed metals through to magnet-ready inputs.

Pip: The Greenland offtake deal and this Pentagon supply problem are clearly two ends of the same chain.

Mara: Whether it’s Brussels negotiating with Beijing, Greenland locking in a 15-year deal, or the Pentagon counting magnets — the throughline is the same scramble to diversify critical mineral supply.

Pip: Next time, we’ll see where that scramble leads. The deposits are finite; the demand is not.

#Jakarta: #Coal and #Nickel dilemma: Racing for revenue, lagging in readiness

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A silhouette of Indonesia features an industrial landscape on the left with smokestacks and an oil rig, and a renewable energy scene on the right with wind turbines. Road signs reading 'DEAD END' and 'Hope Ahead' are included.

A potentially widening budget deficit amid soaring global oil prices has prompted Jakarta to explore alternative revenue sources, including export duties on nickel and coal, commodities that are currently benefiting from relatively strong price trends.

The push for rapid revenue mobilization, however, appears to be running ahead of sectoral readiness. President Prabowo Subianto has approved a coal export duty, with tariffs reportedly still under discussion depending on price levels, initially slated for implementation on April 1. However, its rollout remains subject to ongoing cross-ministerial deliberations, particularly regarding its impact on mining sector profitability.

As highlighted by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, the structure of Indonesia’s coal exports complicates policy design. Around 60-70 percent of exports consist of low-calorific, lower-value coal, meaning that a uniform export duty risks disproportionately burdening producers operating on thin margins. This has prompted the minister to adopt a more cautious stance, delaying implementation until a more calibrated approach is formulated. Yet this caution contrasts with parallel intervention on the supply side. The government has tightened production through the Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) mechanism, capping approved output at around 580 million tonnes. This figure is well below the previous year’s realization of 790 million tonnes, aimed at preventing oversupply and supporting global prices.

The escalation of geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has helped sustain elevated energy and mineral commodity prices. Coal prices have remained consistently above US$135 per tonne, while nickel prices have also stayed relatively stable. This sustained price momentum has prompted the government to take strategic measures to safeguard the state budget. Export duty revenues in the 2026 state budget are projected to surge to Rp 42.56 trillion (US$2.5 billion), marking an increase of more than 850 percent. This sharp rise underscores the urgency behind recent policy initiatives.

This creates a fragmented policy mix. While fiscal authorities push for revenue mobilization through export duties, sectoral regulators simultaneously restrict output to stabilize prices. Rather than a fully coherent strategy, the current approach reflects an unresolved tension between short-term fiscal pressures and longer-term industrial and market considerations.

This tension becomes even more apparent when compared with the government’s more assertive stance in the nickel sector. The government is currently formulating an export duty on nickel-based products, particularly nickel pig iron (NPI), although the exact tariff structure and rates remain under deliberation. At the same time, supply-side controls have been introduced, with the nickel ore RKAB capped at around 150 million tonnes to safeguard domestic availability.

Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2026/04/08/analysis-coal-and-nickel-dilemma-racing-for-revenue-lagging-in-readiness.html?utm_source=(direct)&utm_medium=single_latest

#DRC – #Kinshasa on verge of winning its bet on the #Cobalt market

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Illustration of the Democratic Republic of the Congo highlighted on a map of Africa, featuring a mining scene with a mineral processing plant and various minerals like cobalt, copper, coltan, and lithium. The country's flag is prominently displayed.

Fully focused on its goal of regulating the precious mineral sector, Félix Tshisekedi’s presidency expects significant fiscal returns this year. The authorities, however, have had to contend with pressure from Chinese operators eager to obtain larger quotas, as well as the reluctance of certain administrations.

Read more at: https://www.africaintelligence.com/central-africa/2026/04/07/kinshasa-on-verge-of-winning-its-bet-on-the-cobalt-market,110698845-eve

Under the presidency of Félix Tshisekedi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is aggressively reshaping its role in the global mineral market, specifically targeting the cobalt and gold sectors to maximize state revenue and economic sovereignty. 

Fiscal Returns and Strategic Control 

For 2026, the Congolese Treasury has set ambitious financial targets tied to its newfound status as a market “price maker”. 

  • Projected Revenue: The government expects roughly $2.3 billion in public revenue this year from cobalt alone.
  • Market Influence: By implementing a strict quota system (capped at 96,600 tonnes for 2026), Kinshasa successfully pushed prices from $21,000 in early 2025 to over $56,000 as of April 2026.
  • Alternative Scenario: Authorities estimate that without these regulatory interventions, revenues would have been limited to approximately $617 million. 

Friction with Chinese Operators

The administration is navigating complex relationships with Chinese mining companies, which currently dominate much of the DRC’s mineral extraction. 

  • Quota Resistance: Major Chinese firms, notably CMOC Group, have vocally opposed the 2026 quotas, arguing they are too restrictive compared to their production capacity.
  • Processing Ultimatum: The Ministry of Mines is leveraging these quotas to force Chinese operators into local processing agreements, aiming to shift the country away from being a mere raw material exporter.
  • Audit of Legacy Deals: In March 2026, the government launched a comprehensive technical and financial audit of the Sicomines “infrastructure-for-minerals” deal to ensure compliance and fair returns. 

Administrative and Geopolitical Hurdles

Domestic and international pressures continue to complicate the regulatory rollout:

  • Bureaucratic Reluctance: Delays in implementing new export procedures at the end of 2025 caused bottlenecks at key transit points like the Kasumbalesa border post, forcing the government to refine its administrative arrangements.
  • The “U.S. Pivot”: Under a strategic partnership signed in late 2025, the U.S. is pushing for access to critical minerals to counter Chinese dominance. This includes a 44-project shortlist handed to Washington in February 2026, creating additional geopolitical friction.
  • New Enforcement Measures: To counter administrative weakness, the state recently partnered with Quantum to establish a “tax brigade” for better oversight of mining operators. 

#China’s #RareEarth Policy: Driving Innovation and Competitiveness

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A colorful assortment of various geometric and crystalline shapes representing critical minerals, displayed against a blurred laboratory background. The image also features the flag of China and text in Chinese and English labeling the minerals.

Policy Framework Supporting Innovation Ecosystem

The Chinese State Council’s “Rare Earth Industry Development Plan (2021-2025)” establishes coordinated targets that explicitly connect mining output with downstream technology milestones. This policy framework differs from market-driven approaches where private investment decisions occur independently of government industrial planning.

Key coordination mechanisms include:

  • Research funding allocation aligned with five-year industrial development priorities
  • State-owned enterprise operations integrated with private sector innovation incentives
  • Regulatory environments designed to support domestic technology development clusters
  • University-industry partnerships with explicit commercialization mandates

Government research institutes, including Chinese Academy of Sciences divisions focused on materials science, receive dedicated funding for rare earth materials research aligned with broader industrial objectives. This creates predictable resource flows for long-term research projects while ensuring alignment between fundamental research and commercial applications.

The integration extends to environmental and regulatory considerations. Chinese facilities operate under different environmental compliance requirements compared to Western competitors, enabling cost structures that support both current operations and reinvestment in technology development. Additionally, these operations increasingly benefit from decarbonization benefits that enhance long-term competitiveness. This regulatory environment, combined with established supply chains and vertical integration advantages, creates compound benefits for innovation funding.

How Does China’s Patent Strategy Create Competitive Moats in Critical Technologies?

Intellectual Property Accumulation in Emerging Materials

China’s patent filing activity in rare earth materials significantly exceeds Western competitors, with China accounting for approximately 40-50% of global rare earth materials patents and higher percentages in emerging technology areas including nanomaterials and energy storage applications, according to World Intellectual Property Organization data from 2023.

Patent applications in rare earth nanomaterials and energy storage categories have grown at approximately 15-20% year-over-year in China between 2018-2023, while Western filing rates in equivalent categories have remained relatively flat or declined. This divergence reflects different strategic approaches to materials innovation and intellectual property development.

Focus areas for Chinese patent activity include:

  • Energy storage nanomaterials with enhanced conductivity and thermal stability
  • Magnetic separation processes optimizing cost structures and efficiency
  • Luminescent compounds for specialized optical and sensor applications
  • Advanced alloy compositions targeting aerospace and electronics sectors

Consequently, organizations must develop comprehensive IP protection strategies to safeguard their technological advantages in this competitive landscape.

Research Institution Networks and Knowledge Transfer

Chinese university-industry collaboration operates under different structural incentives compared to Western academic systems. Chinese institutions receive explicit mandates to commercialize research findings, supported by government incentive structures that reward technology transfer activities. This contrasts with Western university systems where commercialization typically occurs post-publication through licensing offices, creating longer development timelines.

Read more at: https://discoveryalert.com.au/strategic-technology-development-critical-material-sectors-2026/

#Nigeria to open two #Chinese-backed #Lithium processing plants this year

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Note: Canada is a resource-rich country. Canada does not have to go to another continent for critical mineral. Canada needs investment and technology development (refining and recycling). Bring the investment to Canada.

LAGOS, May 26 (Reuters) – Nigeria is set to commission two major lithium processing plants this year, the country’s mining minister announced on Sunday, marking a shift from raw mineral exports towards adding value domestically.

The facilities, largely funded by Chinese investors, could help transform Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth into jobs, technology, and manufacturing growth within the country. Mining Minister Dele Alake said a $600 million lithium processing plant near the Kaduna-Niger border is slated for commissioning this quarter, while a $200 million lithium refinery on the outskirts of Abuja is nearing completion. Two additional processing plants are expected in Nasarawa state, which borders the capital Abuja, before the third quarter of 2025, the minister said. “We are now focused on turning our mineral wealth into domestic economic value – jobs, technology, and manufacturing,” Alake said. Over 80% of the funding for the four facilities has been provided by Chinese firms, including Jiuling Lithium Mining Company and Canmax Technologies, according to separate announcements by governors of the states where the plants are located.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nigeria-open-two-chinese-backed-lithium-processing-plants-this-year-2025-05-26/

Yes, Canada is considered a resource-rich country. It has abundant natural resources, including:

  1. Energy Resources:
    • Oil and Natural Gas: Canada has some of the largest reserves of oil in the world, particularly in the oil sands of Alberta. It is a major exporter of oil and natural gas, especially to the United States.
    • Hydroelectric Power: Canada is a leader in hydroelectricity production, with large dams and water resources, especially in provinces like Quebec and British Columbia.
  2. Minerals and Metals:
    • Gold, Silver, and Platinum: Canada has significant reserves of precious metals, making it one of the largest producers of gold and other precious metals.
    • Nickel, Copper, and Zinc: The country is a leading producer of these metals, which are essential for various industries, including manufacturing and electronics.
    • Uranium: Canada is one of the world’s top producers of uranium, used in nuclear power generation.
  3. Forests:
    • Canada has vast forest resources, making it one of the largest producers of timber and paper products. The forest industry is especially important in provinces like British Columbia and Quebec.
  4. Agricultural Resources:
    • Canada is a major producer of wheat, canola, and other crops. It also has extensive livestock farming, including cattle and poultry.
  5. Freshwater:
    • Canada holds around 20% of the world’s freshwater supply, making it an important resource for both domestic use and potential global trade.

These resources contribute significantly to Canada’s economy, especially through exports, and help maintain its position as one of the world’s wealthiest nations in terms of natural wealth

#DOE Announces $2.26 Billion Loan to #Lithium Americas Corp.

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As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Loan Programs Office (LPO), today announced the closing of a $2.26 billion loan to Lithium Americas Corp’s subsidiary, Lithium Nevada Corp. (including $1.97 billion of principal and $289.7 million of capitalized interest), to help finance the construction of facilities for processing lithium at Thacker Pass in Humboldt County, Nevada.

The project is located next to a mine site that contains the largest confirmed lithium resource in North America. Once fully operational, the facilities are expected to produce approximately 40,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate—supporting good-paying, high-quality jobs while helping ensure the United States can meet anticipated skyrocketing demand for the critical minerals necessary for the clean energy future. Today’s announcement reinforces the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to building America’s clean transportation future, boosting America’s global manufacturing competitiveness, and securing reliable domestic critical minerals supply chains.  

Read more at: https://www.energy.gov/lpo/articles/doe-announces-226-billion-loan-lithium-americas-corp

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