It is, on the face of it, an attractive proposition. Canada becomes a global powerhouse in the production of the critical minerals used in electric vehicles (EVs), smartphones, solar panels, and other means of achieving a decarbonized world.
Demand for those critical minerals and metals, including cobalt, lithium, graphite and nickel sulphate, is poised to skyrocket. Such a project, much discussed in Ottawa these days, could give Canada greater geopolitical clout. It also appeals to our “own the podium” quest to achieve world leadership.