Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online
Molten rare earth metal being cast into ingots at SRC.
SASKATOON – The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) announced on Sept. 18 that its Rare Earth Processing Facility located in Saskatoon is ahead of schedule and produced rare earth metals at a commercial scale in summer 2024 – making Saskatchewan the first and only jurisdiction to do so in North America.
Rare earth elements (REE) are considered crucial in modern electronics, electric vehicles, and defence industries. However, China has all but locked up most global production of REE.
Using in-house developed, state-of-the-art, automated technology in metal smelting, SRC’s facility is ready to produce 10 tonnes of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metals per month, with purities greater than 99.5 per cent and conversions greater than 98 percent. SRC is on track to upscale this production to 40 tonnes of rare earth metals per month by the end of December 2024.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to support SRC’s Rare Earth Processing Facility, making Saskatchewan the first and only jurisdiction in North America to produce these rare earth metals, further establishing a rare earth technological hub here in the province,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a release. “This represents a significant opportunity for Saskatchewan to be a world leader in the area of critical mineral development by establishing a secure and sustainable rare earth supply chain.”
In July 2024, SRC finalized tolling agreements with several international clients to convert individual rare earth oxides into metals using metal smelting at SRC’s facility. Prior to the facility being fully operational, these tolling agreements allow SRC to demonstrate its technology at a commercial scale with less upfront investment into raw rare earth material.
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“SRC’s Rare Earth Processing Facility is utilizing advanced technology and expertise to build a strong, sustainable rare earth supply chain for Canada and our allies,” Saskatchewan Minister Responsible for SRC Jeremy Harrison said. “The in-house technology developed by SRC means it is now the only facility in North America producing metals at a commercial scale. This will further advance Saskatchewan’s global reputation as a secure supplier of rare earths that the world needs. Production of these metals is important for preserving our national security and growing our provincial economy for decades to come.”
Once fully operational in early 2025, SRC’s Rare Earth Processing Facility will produce approximately 400 tonnes of NdPr metals per year, enough to power 500,000 electric vehicles, SRC said. Rare earth metals are also essential components for wind turbines, robotics, HVAC systems, elevators and green technologies.
From left to right: Dr. Muhammad Imran, SRC Vice-President of Rare Earth Elements, Honourable Jeremy Harrison, Minister Responsible for SRC, and Mike Crabtree, SRC President and CEO at a media scrum.
“Since 2020, SRC has aimed to become a global leader in rare earth processing technology and today we’ve proven out an industry model for future rare earth initiatives and supply chain development,” president and CEO of SRC Mike Crabtree said. “This achievement is the result of more than 15 years of research and development and now commercialization in rare earths led by world-class experts in rare earth extraction and processing technology.”
Since 2020, SRC’s Rare Earth Processing Facility has received $71 million in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as $30 million in combined funding from the Government of Canada. This funding has been instrumental in helping SRC construct a vertically and laterally integrated “minerals to metals” facility equipped with state-of-the-art, proprietary technology developed by SRC.
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