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Can lithium be produced with a lower environmental impact? – by Javier Lewkowicz (Dialogo Chino – September 28, 2022)

Dialogo Chino

Lithium production is facing a transformation. Mining, automotive and chemical companies around the world are in a race to improve the efficiency of production processes and reduce the environmental impact of the dominant methods of lithium extraction, in order to meet the exponential growth in demand associated with the scale-up of electric vehicles.

“Traditional brine processes have a high environmental impact, due to high levels of water evaporation,” says researcher Michelle Lee Yin of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. “There are different alternative technologies with the potential to replace and/or support the current production method, with the aim of achieving a more sustainable industry over time.”

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Canada’s West Coast can export LNG globally, but East Coast faces pipeline constraints, TC Energy CEO says – by Brent Jang (Globe and Mail – September 27, 2022)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Canada’s West Coast is positioned to become a reliable supplier of liquefied natural gas, but the East Coast faces pipeline constraints, says TC Energy Corp.’s chief executive officer.

With Europe experiencing an energy crisis after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, François Poirier said he is optimistic West Coast exports to Asia will play an important role by injecting much-needed LNG supply into the global market. “Even before the invasion in Ukraine, we were already seeing signs of tightening supply,” Mr. Poirier said in a phone interview from Calgary. “I see a great opportunity for Canada.”

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Indigenous Leaders: First Nation partnerships will lead the way north – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – September 28, 2022)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Marten Falls and Webequie pursue their socio-economic development goals in shepherding Northern Road Link environmental impact process

If your First Nation community harbours great ambitions to become a major project proponent, Gordon Wabasse offers some sage and simple advice. “Be prepared.” Wabasse, the lands and resources director of Webequie First Nation, participated in a panel discussion on the Ring of Fire at the inaugural Indigenous-led Projects Forum in Toronto, Sept. 27.

Wabasse and other James Bay regional leadership spoke of his community’s groundbreaking journey as one of the two Indigenous proponents overseeing the design and environmental impacts of a proposed all-season road into Far North, an Ontario first.

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Pollution From Florida Mining a Concern With Hurricane Ian – by Curt Anderson (Associated Press – September 28, 2022)

https://www.usnews.com/

Environmental groups say the polluted leftovers of Florida’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry are at risk for leaks or other contamination triggered by Hurricane Ian.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The polluted leftovers of Florida’s phosphate fertilizer mining industry, more than 1 billion tons in “stacks” that resemble enormous ponds, are at risk for leaks or other contamination when Hurricane Ian comes ashore in the state, environmental groups say.

Florida has 24 such phosphogypsum stacks, most of them concentrated in mining areas in the central part of the state. About 30 million tons of this slightly radioactive waste is generated every year, according to the Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute.

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Opinion: Unleash the Montney: Canada’s world-class gas field is waiting to be tapped – by Heather Exner-Pirot (Financial Post -September 29, 2022)

https://financialpost.com/

The Montney Formation is a gift from the gods. But in Canada, it may well remain a geological marvel instead of an economic one

Straddling the B.C.-Alberta border lies the most valuable Canadian resource you’ve never heard of: the trillion-dollar Montney Formation, a giant gas field the size of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia combined. Its potential is huge but its future is uncertain. With the federal government’s proposed emissions cap, it may remain a sleeping giant.

The Montney Formation is a colossus, bigger even than the U.S.A.’s renowned Marcellus field, which helped set off the shale revolution. Largely overlooked before the innovation of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling made it economically viable to exploit, it is now tapped to supply the nascent west coast LNG industry.

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A promising future in la belle province – by Dinah Zeldin (CIM Magazine – September 26, 2022)

https://magazine.cim.org/en/

While gold continues to shine, explorers are drawn to new frontiers and the potential for battery metals

Quebec has a rich history of gold mining: the first gold nuggets were discovered in the Beauce region in 1835. Since 1901 explorers have flocked to the Abitibi region in search of the precious metal.

Today the gold camps in the Abitibi remain the main hub of exploration activity, but some explorers are venturing farther afield into northern Quebec. Simultaneously, changing market demands and strong government support have increased interest in looking for other commodities.

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Gold is in bear territory, but prices to rally back to $1,900 next year: ING – by Anna Golubova (Kitco News – September 27, 2022)

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) The gold market faces more losses as the Federal Reserve is still in the midst of its historic rate hikes. But once signs of a potential Fed easing emerge, the gold price will return to its rally mode. And that is expected as soon as next year, according to ING’s latest outlook.

Gold is now down more than 10% year-to-date — a disappointing return for those using gold as an inflation hedge. December Comex gold futures were last at $1,637.40 an ounce, up 0.24% on the day.

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The scramble for rare earths carries big geopolitical risks – by Misha Glenny (Financial Times – September 26, 2022)

https://www.ft.com/

But without these metals there are limited solutions to our planetary problems

The war in Ukraine has demonstrated just how inadvisable over-dependence on a single supplier can be. Russia’s dominance in the European gas market turned into a geopolitical nightmare in the space of a few weeks.

Just imagine if a single country provided you with 90 per cent of your needs for essential commodities. Now imagine how you’d feel if that country was China. Actually, we don’t need to use our imagination because that is exactly the reality for Europe’s galloping consumption of rare earth metals.

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Manitoba juniors look to capitalize on lithium fever – by James Snell (Northern Miner – September 27, 2022)

https://www.northernminer.com/

With lithium prices at a record high – around US$71,000 a tonne for lithium carbonate – and demand for green technology surging, a cadre of exploration and development companies is looking to Manitoba as a source for the essential battery metal – and governments are signalling their approval.

Snow Lake Lithium (NASDAQ: LITM), which is drilling and expanding historical spodumene pegmatite deposits on its 223.8-sq.-km Thompson Brothers project in northwest Manitoba, is leading the charge. It plans to enter production by 2026 using the province’s 99% renewable hydroelectric power grid.

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Six of the Latest Trends in Bridal Jewelry – by Francesca Fearon (Diamonds.net – September 2022)

https://www.diamonds.net/

1. Vintage cut revival

Some may herald emerald-cut diamonds as this year’s most popular style for engagement rings, outranking other favorites like cushions and rounds, but it is interesting to see just how much designers are experimenting with older cuts. They are reviving vintage shapes like the marquise — a cut that dates back to the 18th century and is a favorite of Chicago jeweler Catherine Sarr at Almasika, who takes inspiration from its elliptical silhouette.

“It is a beautiful shape that I can follow naturally to create new settings, such as the east-west design I’m currently experimenting with,” she says.

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We’ll ‘set the bar high’ on Ring of Fire environment assessment, First Nation chief says – by Naimul Karim (Financial Post – September 27, 2022)

https://financialpost.com/

Ontario government has described the Ring of Fire as one of the ‘most promising’ regions for developing critical minerals

Indigenous groups who support building an all-season pathway into Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire region say they hope to allay concerns of neighbouring First Nations by conducting strong environmental assessments (EA).

The First Nations of Marten Falls and Webequie are currently conducting EAs for three proposed roads that would provide access to the region situated in northern Ontario’s James Bay Lowlands, about 500 kilometres from Thunder Bay.

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How the U.S. fell behind in lithium, the ‘white gold’ of electric vehicles – by Jeniece Pettitt (CNBC.com – January 15, 2022)

https://www.cnbc.com/

The United States has a lithium supply problem. Nearly every major automaker has announced a transition to electric vehicles, Tesla delivered almost one million cars in 2021, and a handful of new electric vehicle companies like Rivian and Lucid are rolling new models off the line.

In order to power all of these EVs, we will need batteries — lots of them. Electric vehicle growth will be responsible for more than 90% of demand for lithium by 2030, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. But lithium is also in our phones, computers, ceramics, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, and is essential for solar and wind energy storage.

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Pirie wants to see Ontario return as the world’s No. 1 mining jurisdiction – by Andrew Autio (Timmins Daily Press – September 26, 2022)

https://www.timminspress.com/

Exploration expected to shape Northern economy in coming years

Timmins MPP and Ontario’s Minister of Mines George Pirie told a crowd that the province’s economy will be largely shaped in the coming years by mineral exploration in the North, and that it will be the key to transforming into a greener future.

On Friday at the Ramada Inn, the former mayor and veteran mining executive was the keynote speaker at the latest instalment of the State Of Mining series hosted by the Timmins Chamber. “As we transform from a fossil fuel-based industry to one that is based on batteries, you’re not going to be able to turn the key off in one day,” he said.

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Southern cattail highly effective for rehabilitation of areas affected by iron mine tailings – by Staff (Mining.com – September 26, 2022)

https://www.mining.com/

A recent study conducted by Brazilian researchers and reported on by the São Paulo Research Foundation demonstrated the potential of Southern cattail for use in the sustainable rehabilitation of areas affected by iron ore mine tailings.

In a paper published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, the researchers explain that their experiments showed that the plant can scavenge up to 34 times more manganese from contaminated soil than other plants found in similar environments.

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Sulfuric acid: the next resource crisis that could stifle green tech and threaten food security – by Mark Maslin and Simon Day (The Conservation – August 23, 2022)

https://theconversation.com/

Without sulfur in the form of sulfuric acid, industries would struggle to produce the phosphorus fertilisers that raise farm yields or extract the essential metals used in everything from solar panels to electric car batteries.

Yet a problem looms, which has gone largely unnoticed. More than 80% of the global sulfur supply is a waste product, extracted from fossil fuels like oil and natural gas (which typically contain between 1% and 3% sulfur by weight) to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, the gas that causes acid rain.

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