Seamus O’Regan Jr. and Pierre Gratton: This is mining’s moment, and Canada will lead – by Pierre Gratton and Seamus O’Regan Jr. (The Province – May 31, 2021)

https://theprovince.com/

Seamus O’Regan is the federal minister of natural resources; Pierre Gratton is president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.

This is mining’s moment. After a year that saw global mining production curtailed, mines closed, and plans shelved as workers stayed home to keep others safe, the industry is roaring back.

Mining represented five per cent of Canada’s GDP last year, and while the sector is vital in communities across the country, it is essential to British Columbia.

As the global centre of expertise for mineral exploration, B.C. is home to some 800 exploration companies, most of which are in the Greater Vancouver area. For generations, mining has played an essential role as an employer and economic contributor in the province.

This is good for B.C. because the world needs mining, and that need will only grow. Mining provides raw materials to the green economy — they are essential for the next generation of batteries, clean technology, solar panels, wind turbines, and much more.

This is the future, and Canada will lead. We are the only Western country with an abundance of cobalt, graphite, lithium, and nickel, all of which are needed for the batteries in electric vehicles.

For the rest of this column: https://theprovince.com/opinion/op-ed/seamus-oregan-jr-and-pierre-gratton-this-is-minings-moment-and-canada-will-lead