It’s May, which means it’s time to celebrate Mining Month in BC.
This year, the theme is “The opportunity is right under our feet”.
According to the Mining Association of BC (MABC), British Columbia’s mining sector is “a world leading supplier of the critical minerals essential to clean technologies that help fight climate change – like electric vehicles. Mining Month provides the perfect opportunity to showcase how British Columbia’s critical minerals and metals are essential to climate action. Together, we can drive positive change, foster economic growth and create a lasting legacy of responsible mining for generations to come.”
Josie Osborne, BC’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Low-Carbon Innovation, says that there are more than 30,000 jobs in mining across the province. “Already a world-leading mining jurisdiction, in recent years, BC’s mining sector has grown and evolved to place high value on environmental, social and governance principles, and strong and collaborative partnerships with Indigenous communities,” says Osborne. “This is what makes British Columbia a destination of choice for investors that prioritize environmental sustainability, economic opportunity and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.”
She says First Nations have a crucial role in British Columbia’s mining sector. “Our approach to natural-resource development must be done in collaboration and partnership with the rightful owners of the land. And through the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan, we are committed to modernizing the Mineral Tenure Act to continue to build and strengthen our work together. We have already initiated a process of consultation and co-operation with First Nations to advance this work, consistent with the Interim Approach from the Declaration Act Secretariat.”
As society shifts towards more environmentally sustainable operations, with an emphasis on creating a cleaner, low-carbon economy, BC’s mining sector is an essential part of this change she says. “We provide the critical minerals and metals needed to fight climate change. We are Canada’s largest producer of copper and only producer of molybdenum. These and other critical minerals are integral components of emerging technologies, such as electric cars, wind turbines and solar power that will help drive a cleaner, healthier future.”
She says a recent survey commissioned by the Mining Association of BC shows that British Columbians want to see the province become a leader in supplying these critical minerals. “I also want to see the province of BC as a leader in this space, which is why we’ve set aside $6 million over the next three years to develop a critical minerals strategy and to further unlock BC’s potential to produce additional critical minerals and develop new opportunities through the supply chain.”
These critical minerals include the aforementioned copper and molybdenum, as well as nickel, lithium and cobalt. These are, says MABC, the building blocks of the net-zero future and essential to aerospace, defense, and communications technologies. That’s why at the end of 2022, the Government of Canada launched The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, which strives to “increase the supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals and support the development of domestic and global value chains for the green and digital economy,” according to the Government website.
China is currently the dominant global refiner of critical minerals, and the world’s largest producer of EV batteries and clean technologies like solar cells. “Geopolitical dynamics and skyrocketing demand have strained value chains, which are essential to the global energy transition,” says the Crucial Mineral Strategy. “Canada’s European allies have recently experienced the consequences of dependence upon non-like-minded countries for strategic commodities such as oil and gas, and there is a strong desire to avoid similar vulnerabilities in emerging markets such as critical minerals.”
Electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels all need these minerals. “The sun provides raw energy, but electricity flows through copper. Wind turbines need manganese, platinum and rare earth magnets. Nuclear power requires uranium. Electric vehicles require batteries made with lithium, cobalt and nickel and magnets. Indium and tellurium are integral to solar panel manufacturing.”
According to Osborne, BC’s mining sector is already taking a leading role in the clean-energy transition. “An excellent example is Artemis Gold’s Blackwater Mine southwest of Vanderhoof,” she says. “As BC’s first new open-pit mine in almost a decade, the Blackwater Mine is a role model in a thriving, future-focused mining sector. It received its operating permit in just 10 months, from final application to green light.”
Last year, BC mines produced more than $18 billion, with exploration spending hitting a record $740 million, which is up $80 million from the year before.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
