TELF AG analyzes the role of Saskatchewan in the production of rare earths

A strategic province

For some time now, Canada’s geological wealth has pushed its government institutions to provide extensive support to the national sourcing industry. This is in the belief that a progressive valorization of strategic minerals can represent an excellent opportunity for the economic development of the nation and its provinces, and also make a valuable contribution to the global energy transition.

In an attempt to transform itself into one of the best global suppliers of strategic raw materials, Canada has also focused heavily on the geological wealth of its provinces and on thriving collaborations with local partners, such as research centers that deal daily with the study and operational management of some of the resources most involved in the nation’s economic development. In this regard, the Government of Canada has recently formalized its support for a research center in the province of Saskatchewan to process bastnäsite and study other strategic minerals.

The central Canadian province is known for its leading role in the sourcing industry and, in particular, for the production of rare earths, which are increasingly being used in various industrial sectors. A major rare earth processing plant is being developed in Saskatchewan, which would be the country’s first facility of its kind. This plant can handle and process a much wider range of rare earth elements. With this support, as some representatives of the Canadian government have stated, Saskatchewan has the opportunity to become an important global reference point for the supply of these resources, further consolidating its role in the sector.

The role of bastnäsite

The government’s financial support will mainly be used to acquire bastnäsite from Canadian sources (particularly the Northwest Territories) and thus give a new boost to the national capacity to produce rare earths. Bastnäsite is a mineral resource belonging to the carbonate group and represents one of the major sources of rare earths. Its name comes from Bastnas in Sweden, where it was first discovered in the 19th century.

Typically, this resource has a varied composition in which rare earth elements such as cerium, lanthanum, or yttrium find space, and its largest deposits are found in the United States, China, and Australia. The aim of the financing is to support the production of a mixed product of rare earths to be subsequently subjected to further processing, thus obtaining rare earth metals. Government support will also improve the mapping of Canada’s mineral resources, focusing on the role of sensors in obtaining a better identification of potential deposits.

Of the 34 minerals considered critical by the government of Canada, 27 are located in the province of Saskatchewan. Last year, expenditures for mineral exploration in Canadian territory reached a record level. With 14 million tonnes of rare earths, Canada has one of the largest global reserves of these precious elements. Strategic minerals in Canada are considered of great importance for their direct applications in some industrial sectors considered of great value, such as batteries, energy, defense, and infrastructures.