A REGION IN DEVELOPMENT
Developments in Critical Minerals
Critical minerals consist of the metals cobalt, copper, nickel, uranium, lithium, magnesium, platinum group metals, rare earth elements and others, and are vital in aerospace, telecommunications, computing, and an array of clean technology industries.
Canada ranks among the top five exports of various critical minerals including platinum group metals, nickel, cobalt, and graphite.
Northwestern Ontario currently has twelve advanced critical mineral exploration sites, including lithium, graphite, copper and platinum group metals (palladium) providing an opportunity for the province to become a leading jurisdiction in critical mineral production.
Critical minerals like lithium and graphite also require processing of the raw mined material to create a useable product, presenting an opportunity for Northwestern Ontario to become a leader in the chemical processing and conversion of critical minerals to provide products for clean technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles and large scale electrical grid energy storage.
Avalon Advanced Materials continue with plans to advance the Separation Rapids Lithium Deposit, located north of Kenora. A 5000 tonne bulk sample will be extracted in 2021 for petalite (lithium mineral) processing in a pilot plant. A Feasibility Study will commence for a planned Thunder Bay/FWFN lithium plant location . Rock Tech Lithium has a previously signed joint venture– Letter of Intent in place. In addition, Avalon has other critical element and rare earth element projects in Ontario.
Clean Air Metals released a new palladium/platinum resource for the Thunder Bay North Project (located just north of the city) and a Technical Report completed by Nordmin Engineering. Diamond drilling is underway at Escape Lake and on geophysical targets. On March 18 the company reported a drill intersection of massive sulphides. Metallurgical testing and ramp development planning are in the works.
The Mavis Lake Lithium Project is located approximately 19km east-northeast of the township of Dryden in North-Western Ontario. Dryden provide a logistics and support base for the exploration and development efforts at Mavis Lake, making for a low cost operation.
Learn more: https://www.criticalresources.com.au/projects/lithium-portfolio-ontario-canada/
Frontier Lithium released a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) illustrating a 27% Internal Rate of Return for a proposed lithium mine ( located north of Red Lake), right through and including a lithium hydroxide chemical/hydromet plant facility, to be built on the Great Lakes. The lithium spodumene (lithium mineral) resource combines the two adjacent orebodies, PAK and Spark The PEA speaks to a an estimated life of mine (LOM) of 26 years. Exploration continues on a 3rd lithium target called “Bold”.
Generation Mining released a positive Feasibility Study (FS) in Q1 for the Marathon Palladium-Copper Deposit, located just north of Marathon, ON. The mine project has a 14 year mine life and will employ approximately 365 employees. Federal Environmental Assessment is scheduled for much of 2021.
The Seymour Project is located near the township of Armstrong and approximately 250km north of the city and port of Thunder Bay which has a long mining history and a base for geological and mining contractors.
Learn more: https://www.greentm.com.au/seymour-project
Impala Canada will be drilling 50,000 metres during 2021, with a goal of doubling the Lac des Iles Mine life. Diamond drilling is focused on brownfields palladium zones proximal to the mine.
LiCAN owns 100% interest in 5 promising Lithium Projects over 19,000 Ha, in most prolific Emerging LCT-Pegmatite Fields in NW Ontario.
Learn more: https://lican.ca/
Ring of Fire Metals holds the most important mineral deposits in the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. We are committed to responsibly developing critical minerals, such as nickel, copper, cobalt, chrome, platinum and palladium that are needed to support the transition to a low-carbon future.
Our Eagle’s Nest project is a high-grade nickel, copper and platinum group element (PGE) deposit. This deposit has the potential to be a catalyst for developing additional downstream processing capability in Ontario and establishing the Province as a globally-significant producer of battery materials.
In April 2022, Wyloo Metals, an Australian-based company, completed its acquisition of Ring of Fire Metals, formerly Noront Resources. Wyloo Metals explores for, develops and invests in the next generation of mines that will produce the raw materials needed for a clean and sustainable future.
Rock Tech Lithium continues with a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) to advance the Georgia Lake Lithium Deposit, located south of Beardmore, as well as work toward establishing a lithium chemical plant in Thunder Bay. The facility would receive lithium concentrate from Georgia Lake and produce lithium sulphate for the electric vehicle battery industry. Site selection and establishing key management personnel in Thunder Bay is underway. ALS Chemex Laboratories (Perth)has been hired to work through pilot plant work.
Georgia Lake Project Highlights
- 100% ownership of 16 mineral claims covering 2,416 Ha land in 151 units
- Located in the Thunder Bay Mining Division, Ontario, Canada
- Stable and favourable mining jurisdiction
- Excellent infrastructure
- Located near provincial Highway 11
- 145 km from deep water port in Thunder Bay
- Power within 8 km
- Mining personnel and contractors available locally.
Learn more: https://ultralithium.com/projects/georgia-lake-lithium-pegmatites/
Zen Graphene Solutions is patenting a biocidal graphene application to treat PPE gloves and masks against COVID19, and is working with researchers on bacteria resistance applications . The company has a significant R&D pipeline with an interest in monomers, polymers, metal alloys, corrosion coatings, biosensors, along with the production of graphene oxide and graphene quantum dots. Source graphite/graphene is sources from a bulk sample garnered from coarse diameter drilling on the company’s Constance Lake FN/Hearst area graphite deposit. Environmental baseline work is underway on the deposit. An implementation agreement was recently signed with Constance Lake First Nation.
Government Initiatives
ADDRESSING ENERGY DEMAND
East-West Tie Electricity Transmission Project
The East-West Tie transmission project is a new 450 km long, double circuit, 230 kV line being installed between Wawa and Thunder Bay with a connection midway in Marathon. The project, valued at $777 million, began in late 2019 and is complete. The new transmission line is intended to ensure long-term reliability of electricity in Northwestern Ontario, including the mining sector which is expected to drive electricity demand growth over the next decade.
Wataynikaneyap Electricity Transmission Project
Waasigan Transmission Line Project
The Waasigan Transmission Line is a proposed new double-circuit 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between Lakehead Transformer Station (TS) in the Municipality of Shuniah and Mackenzie TS in the Town of Atikokan, and a new single-circuit 230 kV transmission line between Mackenzie TS and Dryden TS in the City of Dryden.
The project is currently undergoing public and stakeholder consultation for the environmental assessment, which is slated to be complete by 2024 prior to any construction beginning.
