Résumés
Abstract
Increased use of renewable energy, coupled with electrification of the economy, is considered important in efforts to limit future climate change. This energy transition is predicted to increase demands for some commodities, many of which are now labelled as critical mineral. The quest for such commodities is now a persistent theme for the resource industry and emerging government policies. This review for non-specialists explains several key concepts but also explores some challenges and apparent contradictions in the context of Canada.
Canada now has a list of 31 critical minerals, but this includes some major commodities for which domestic production is significant and supply risk is low. The differences between our list and those of other jurisdictions reflect our more specific definitions. Most other commodities on Canada’s list are also identified by other countries and some are specifically linked to the energy transition. These include cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, graphite and vanadium (used in electric vehicle batteries and static energy storage), rare earth elements (REE; used for magnets in EV motors and wind turbines) and some rarer elements (e.g. germanium, gallium, indium and tellurium) used in photovoltaic (solar) energy systems. Some of these are potential primary products (e.g. lithium, graphite and REE) but many others (e.g. cobalt, platinum group elements and the photovoltaic elements) are byproducts from the production of major commodities, notably nickel, copper and zinc. The REE represent coproducts that are closely associated in nature and very hard to separate from each other; they are produced as a group.
There are some specific challenges in exploring for and developing critical mineral resources. The end-use technology driving demand evolves on a timescale of years, but mineral exploration and development now typically take multiple decades. Material substitutions and unpredictable developments in technology complicate the exact prediction of future demands. The forecasts of overall relative demand growth are impressive, but for some key commodities global production will remain small in absolute terms, which may limit the potential for new discoveries. Simple measures of grade and tonnage are not always guarantees of viability, because deposits of some commodities (e.g. the REE) are mineralogically complex. Byproduct commodities cannot be produced in isolation, and many of these are only extracted in smelting and refining. Domestic production of these commodities is effectively lost if concentrates are exported for processing. The emissions and environmental impacts associated with production of critical mineral resources will also become important if such activity is to be linked to wider climate goals. This may present challenges in northern Canada, where renewable or low-carbon energy options are limited. Most draft Land Use Plans in the north presently emphasize large-scale land conservation, which could limit future exploration access before resource potential is fully assessed. Given the strong divisions of opinion about resource development, especially in the north, controversy and polarized debate will not easily be avoided.
There are no simple answers to challenges that are political or jurisdictional rather than technical, but there is definitely a need for more public geoscientific information. This will help to identify areas of greatest potential, evaluate known deposits and contribute to future sustainable development. For many of the commodities on our critical mineral resources list, data for Canada remains incomplete, especially in more remote regions that are generally considered to have the highest potential.
Keywords:
- Critical Minerals,
- Deposits,
- Energy Transition,
- Mineral Potential,
- Rare Elements,
- Resources
Résumé
L'utilisation accrue des énergies renouvelables, associée à l'électrification de l'économie, est considérée comme étant essentielle dans les mesures visant à limiter les changements climatiques futurs. Cette transition énergétique devrait accroître la demande de certaines matières premières, dont bon nombre sont maintenant qualifiés de minéraux critiques. La quête de telles matières premières est désormais un thème persistant pour l'industrie des ressources et les politiques gouvernementales émergentes. Cette revue à l’intention des non-spécialistes explique plusieurs concepts clés, mais explore également certains défis et contradictions apparentes dans le contexte du Canada.
Le Canada dispose désormais d'une liste de 31 minéraux critiques, mais celle-ci inclut certaines matières premières majeures pour lesquelles la production nationale est importante et le risque d'approvisionnement est faible. Les différences entre notre liste et celles d'autres juridictions reflètent nos définitions plus spécifiques. La plupart des autres matières premières de la liste du Canada sont également identifiées par d'autres pays et certaines sont spécifiquement liées à la transition énergétique. Il s'agit notamment du cobalt, du lithium, du manganèse, du nickel, du graphite et du vanadium (utilisés dans les batteries de véhicules électriques et le stockage statique de l'énergie), des éléments des terres rares (ETR ; utilisés pour les aimants dans les moteurs de véhicules électriques et les éoliennes) et de certains éléments plus rares (comme le germanium, le gallium, l'indium et le tellure) utilisés dans les systèmes d'énergie photovoltaïque (solaire). Certains d'entre eux sont des produits primaires potentiels (comme le lithium, le graphite et les ETR), mais beaucoup d'autres (comme le cobalt, les éléments du groupe du platine et les éléments photovoltaïques) sont des sous-produits de la production de matières premières majeures, notamment le nickel, le cuivre et le zinc. Les ETR représentent des coproduits étroitement associés dans la nature et très difficiles à séparer les uns des autres; ils sont produits groupés.
L'exploration et le développement de ressources minérales critiques présentent des défis spécifiques. La technologie d'utilisation finale qui stimule la demande évolue sur une échelle de temps de quelques années, mais l'exploration et le développement miniers prennent désormais généralement plusieurs décennies. Les matériaux de substitution et les développements imprévisibles de la technologie compliquent la prévision exacte des demandes futures. Les prévisions de croissance relative globale de la demande sont impressionnantes, mais pour certaines matières premières clés, la production mondiale restera faible en termes absolus, ce qui pourrait limiter le potentiel de nouvelles découvertes. Les mesures simples de teneur et de tonnage ne garantissent pas toujours la viabilité car les gisements de certaines matières premières (comme les ETR) sont minéralogiquement complexes. Les matières premières secondaires ne peuvent pas être produites isolément, et bon nombre d'entre elles ne sont extraites que lors de la fusion et du raffinement. La production nationale de ces matières premières est effectivement perdue si les concentrés sont exportés pour être transformés. Les émissions et les impacts environnementaux associés à la production de ressources minérales critiques deviendront également importants si cette activité doit être liée à des objectifs climatiques plus larges. Cela peut présenter des défis dans le nord du Canada, où les options d'énergie renouvelable ou à faible émission de carbone sont limitées. La plupart des projets de plans d'utilisation des terres dans le Nord mettent actuellement l'accent sur la conservation à grande échelle des terres, ce qui pourrait limiter l'accès à de futures explorations avant que le potentiel en ressources n’y soit pleinement évalué. Étant donné les fortes divergences d'opinion concernant le développement des ressources, en particulier dans le Nord, la controverse et les débats polarisés ne seront pas facilement évités.
Il n'y a pas de réponses simples aux défis qui relèvent davantage de la politique ou de la juridiction que de la technique, mais il est certainement nécessaire de disposer de plus d'informations géoscientifiques publiques. Cela aidera à identifier les domaines à plus grand potentiel, à évaluer les gisements connus, et à contribuer au développement durable futur. Pour bon nombre des matières premières de notre liste de ressources minérales critiques, les données pour le Canada demeurent incomplètes, en particulier dans les régions plus éloignées qui sont généralement considérées comme ayant le potentiel le plus élevé.
Parties annexes
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