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Saskatchewan Mining

Nuclear power industry sees ‘huge potential’ for growth in Saskatchewan – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Financial Post – November 30, 2024)

https://financialpost.com/

Province is starting to look to nuclear power to fill the void left by the departure of coal

Saskatchewan is one of a number of jurisdictions starting to look to nuclear power to fill the void left by the departure of coal and other carbon-emitting fuels as the push to decarbonize electricity production ramps up.

The expansion of nuclear power generation means serious growth potential for some players in the industry, including Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC, a Pennsylvania-based specialist in building nuclear reactors bought by Saskatoon-based Cameco Corp. and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. in 2023.

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Possible tariffs worry Canada uranium miners as they boost output to meet US demand – by Divya Rajagopal, Ernest Scheyder and Timothy Gardener (Reuters – November 28, 2024)

https://www.reuters.com/

Canada’s uranium miners, confident that only they can meet US demand for the element after Russian supply curbs, have accelerated output and forward contracts to supply US energy companies, but they are now worried about possible tariffs from US President-elect Donald Trump.

Shares of uranium companies rallied in Toronto and New York over the last two weeks on news that Russia was planning to restrict the sale of enriched uranium to the US. This week, Trump threatened to slap a 25% tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico. This could inflate prices of the radioactive material unless uranium receives exemptions.

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Paladin’s Fission Takeover Is Delayed by Canada Security Review – by Jacob Lorinc (Bloomberg News – November 19, 2024)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Canada’s federal government is extending a national security review of Paladin Energy Ltd.’s acquisition of Fission Uranium Corp., further delaying a deal that was supposed to close in September.

Australia’s Paladin Energy said Tuesday it received a notice from Canada’s industry ministry that the government’s review period for the transaction, proposed in June, will be extended until Dec. 30. The company also warned that the deal could fall apart.

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Why Canada could become the next nuclear energy ‘superpower’ – by Nadine Yousif (BBC.com – November 13, 2024)

https://www.bbc.com/

Uranium is making a comeback thanks to a renewed focus on nuclear energy as a climate crisis solution. Canada, rich with high-grade deposits, could become a nuclear “superpower”. But can its potential be realised?

Leigh Curyer had been working in uranium mining for nearly two decades when he noticed a striking shift. In 2011, the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan badly damaged the world’s view of nuclear power, and the price for the heavy metal – a critical component for nuclear fuel – cratered.

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Potash producers sound alarm on losing revenue during lockout at B.C. ports – by Brent Jang (Globe and Mail – November 6, 2024)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Canada’s potash producers are warning that the lockout of unionized supervisors at British Columbia ports could allow rivals such as Russia and Belarus to gain market share.

With commodities such as potash stuck onshore at the Port of Vancouver, bottlenecks are growing in the supply chain. Potash is among the key exports suspended at Neptune Bulk Terminals (Canada) Ltd. in North Vancouver and Pacific Coast Terminals Co. Ltd. in Port Moody.

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Potash mining is good business now, but it wasn’t always that way – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Saskatoon Star Phoenix – October 4, 2024)

https://thestarphoenix.com/

It has been 65 years since potash mining began in Saskatchewan and Nutrien invited media to tour one their mines. Find out more.

ALLAN, SASK. — Since the mining of potash began on the prairies 65 years ago, the mineral has grown more important as countries around the world try to feed their growing populations, but the industry wasn’t always so consistent.

“In my first 15 years, it was four years of layoffs off and on, not constant and never a complete out-the-door shutdown, but downsizing and cutting back,” said Bob Boehm, who has been working at Nutrien Ltd.‘s Allan mine, southeast of Saskatoon, for more than 40 years.

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Canada reviewing Paladin’s Fission Uranium takeover on national security grounds – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – October 2, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

Paladin Energy’s (ASX: PDN) proposed takeover of Canadian explorer Fission Uranium (TSX: FCU) has hit a roadblock after receiving a notice from the Canadian government informing the company the deal is now the subject of a national security review.

The Australian miner entered in June into an agreement with Fission Uranium to acquire it for C$1.14 billion ($846m), as strong prices for the fuel used in nuclear reactors has lit fire under market consolidations and deals.

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Nutrien celebrates 65 years of potash production in Saskatchewan – by John Flatters (CTV News Saskatoon – October 2, 2024)

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/

The impact of the above and below-ground operations at Nutrien’s potash mines span multiple generations, fuelling the local economy and feeding the world. Celebrating 65 years in the Saskatchewan potash industry, Nutrien gave a special tour of its Allan mine east of Saskatoon.

Building started in 1964, and the first tonne of raw ore was pulled up to the surface in 1968. Over the last six decades, it’s seen giant leaps in technology which have further improved safety and productivity.

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Saskatchewan faces major obstacles as it aims to compete with China in processing rare earth minerals – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – September 3, 2024)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The Saskatchewan Research Council is attempting to go head-to-head with China and prove the case for private investment in rare earth minerals by building North America’s first rare earths processing plant.

Rare earths are mined in vanishingly small quantities worldwide, but owing to their magnetic, fluorescent and conductive qualities, they have crucial uses in tech, robotics, low-carbon power and military applications.

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Face of Nutrien workforce changing after 65 years of potash production in Sask. – by Cole Davenport (CTV News Regina – September 20, 2024)

https://regina.ctvnews.ca/

Rocanville, Sask. – Driving into the tunnels of Nutrien’s Rocanville mine, the largest potash mine in the world by production volume, feels like driving down a lonely highway in the middle of the night. “In a day you’d probably put on anywhere between 100 and 150 kilometres just to see your people,” said Chris Machniak, a general foreman at the mine.

The silence of the tunnels is broken only by the subtle but noticeable crinkling sound of fresh-cut potash settling into its new position. That quiet is quickly replaced by the roar of machinery as you reach the heart of the operation.

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Saskatoon set to take on China in production of critical minerals – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Saskatoon Star Phoenix – September 20, 2024)

https://thestarphoenix.com/

City will soon be home to a first-of-its-kind rare earth minerals processing facility in North America

Saskatoon will soon be home to a first-of-its-kind rare earth minerals processing facility in North America, one that can take on China’s dominance in a key part of the energy transition.

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is constructing the plant, set to be fully operational in 2025, which will become the only one in North America able to process critical minerals into materials that can be used to create a range of products, including batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

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Chinese investor steps in to block Paladin’s Fission buy – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – September 16, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

Australia’s Paladin Energy (ASX: PDN) has hit a roadblock in its proposed acquisition of Canada’s Fission Uranium (TSX: FCU) after a Chinese investor in the takeover target opposed the tie-up.

The Western Australia-based miner revealed on Monday that CGN Mining Company, a subsidiary of China General Nuclear Power with a 11.26% stake in Fission, is opposing the tie-up. Paladin moved in June to buy the Canadian miner for C$1.14 billion ($845 million), contingent on at least two-thirds of Fission shareholders voting in favour of the transaction by Aug. 26.

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Major potash miner turning to AI and automation to improve operations – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Saskatoon Star Phoenix – September 9, 2024)

https://thestarphoenix.com/

Nutrien has developed technology that allows for mining machines to be operated remotely

The potash industry has undergone many changes over the decades in Saskatchewan. It has grown exponentially since it began developing in the 1950s and has continued to expand as global population growth increased the demand for fertilizer, an important component of which is potash.

As that demand has steadily increased, Saskatoon-based Nutrien Ltd., the world’s largest potash producer, has been working to make its operations more efficient while also improving safety.

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Jansen potash mine ahead of schedule, more growth planned – by Shane Clausing (CJME.com – September 3, 2024)

https://www.cjme.com/

Stage 1 of BHP’s multi-billion dollar Jansen potash mine project is halfway complete and ahead of schedule, the company announced last week. The project is being built just outside of Humboldt, and will be part of a multi-stage effort to build the largest potash mine in the world.

The first stage is expected to be complete by 2026. Karina Gistelinck is the asset president of potash for BHP and also in charge of overseeing the mega project. She was nothing but smiles on Tuesday in Saskatoon speaking about how well construction had progressed on the project.

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Canada invests over $11 million in critical minerals research in Saskatchewan – by Staff (Mining.com – August 14, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson announced on Wednesday over C$16 million ($11.6m) in new funding to support the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) in Saskatoon. The funding builds on earlier support of nearly C$13.5 million ($9.8m) from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for SRC to establish its rare earth processing facility and develop new rare earth mineral processing technologies.

Wednesday’s announcement includes C$15.96 million through PrairiesCan to enable SRC to acquire bastnaesite (a type of ore containing rare earth elements) from Canadian sources and create new domestic capacity for bastnaesite processing, which will be integrated into SRC’s rare earth processing facility.

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