A test run to create rare earth element ingots in Canada using the Saskatchewan Research Council’s (SRC) Rare Earth Processing Facility was successful.
The facility is still under construction, but Jeremy Harrison, the Minister responsible for SRC, said this shows the value in the investment they made into the building.
“What it’s going to mean is jobs, it’s going to mean opportunities, and it’s going to really mean Saskatoon is going to be the hub for the rare earth industry not just in Canada but in North America,” said Harrison.
The Rare Earth Processing Facility will have the capability to produce enough magnets to produce up to 300,000 electric vehicles per year.
“This milestone shows the incredible progress that SRC is making towards a key element of our government’s 2030 Growth Plan and in fact, now actually exceeds that original objective,” said Harrison.
The province added $20 million in funding to the facility back in June, and said these ingots can be used in the development of electric vehicles, wind turbines and electronics.
“SRC is proud to be a world leader in rare earth element processing and separation technologies and now to be able to add metal processing to that list, is an incredible accomplishment,” SRC President and CEO Mike Crabtree said.
According to the Saskatchewan Research Council, these ingots are the first rare earth element ingots produced in Canada. Crabtree added a reason why this wasn’t done in the past.
“There wouldve been no value in it, you have to actually have all the component pieces of that supply chain,” he said.
The Government of Saskatchewan said this three-stage rare earth processing facility will be the first of its kind in North America, and products from the facility will be available for sale internationally in 2024.
According to the province, the first stage concentrates ore into mixed rare earth element carbonate.
The second stage separates the mixture and creates commercial pure-grade rare earth elements.