To expand its mineral industry and put Alberta in a position to satisfy rising worldwide demand, the province is taking significant steps.
The Mineral Resource Development Act is now in effect for brine-hosted minerals, and new geological data that maps out Alberta’s mineral resources are being provided to aid in future development. These measures are intended to support the growth of Alberta’s mineral sector. The province will shortly add helium to its list of essential minerals.
“We are taking actions to ensure that Alberta is competitive in global mineral exploration and development. These steps will support investment, create jobs and help supply minerals we need for the future. Alberta is a global energy leader – we are ensuring that we remain innovative and competitive,” explained Pete Guthrie, Minister of Energy.
In recent years, Alberta’s government invested more than $25 million to enable the AER (Alberta Energy Regulator) and Alberta Geological Survey to deliver more minerals-focused public geoscience information and build an inventory of minerals and their concentrations across the province.
Many non-energy minerals, many of which have been designated as critical and strategic minerals, have geological potential throughout Alberta. This includes vanadium, rare earth elements, and titanium in oil sands waste streams, lithium in formation waters in west-central Alberta, potash in eastern Alberta, and uranium in southern and northeastern Alberta.
Leading refineries for important minerals like nickel, cobalt, and magnesium are located in Alberta, and the province has the ability to develop a low-carbon economic value chain based on its supply of those materials.
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