Quebec to spend $90 million developing minerals used in new technology

Source:
iPolitics

From iPolitics. By . Published on Oct 29, 2020 6:29pm

Quebec's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonatan Julien (Screenshot by Kevin Dougherty)

The Quebec government is spending $90M over the next five years to develop minerals used in technology for electric vehicles, mobile phones, medical scanners, and solar panels, among other things.

The province will be extracting, transforming, and recycling niche minerals essential to new technology applications, which now come from China, said Premier François Legault, who joined his four ministers in the announcement over Zoom on Thursday. 

“Let’s get to work,” Legault said of Quebec’s plan to develop “critical and strategic minerals.”

Traditionally, Quebec has mined iron ore, gold, and base metals.

The new initiative will involve developing cobalt, graphite, lithium, niobium, and rare-earth metals, all essential in making electric vehicles, mobile communications, medical scanners, solar panels, windmills, and aircraft.

From 2020 to 2025, Quebec will spend $90 million to encourage junior mining companies, seek investors, and open up areas for the mines.

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