A new technology is helping Saskatchewan’s mining industry diversify.
Prairie Lithium, based in Emerald Park, has found a way to harvest lithium, a metal used in the creation of batteries, using the brine left from oil fields.
The company drilled its first dedicated lithium brine well earlier in the fall, which extracted almost 100 per cent of the available lithium.
Provincial Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre says global demand for lithium is expected to grow five-fold by 2030, and Saskatchewan is in a good spot to make the most of its potential.
“Our energy and mining sectors are attracting investment, creating high-quality jobs and building on our traditional strengths,” said Eyre.
“It’s exciting that lithium from Saskatchewan oil field brine will power electric vehicles of the future.
During the fall project, 100 jobs were created through 40 different companies.