CRITICAL MINERALS GEOSCIENCE AND DATA: THE NEW RESEARCH AGENDA FOR CRITICAL MINERALS IN CANADA

The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) launched a new initiative that is one part the Canadian Government’s strategy to strengthen the supply chains of critical minerals. Although it is paramount for countries around the world to establish and maintain resilient critical mineral value chains, ensuring suppliers adhere to high environmental, social and governance standards is equally important. The GSC’s new initiative will focus on top critical minerals on Canada’s critical minerals list that are the building blocks for a green and digital economy and energy transition. These minerals are vital to a range of industries including technology, energy, defence, and infrastructure, and are essential for the production of a wide range of products, including batteries, electronics, and infrastructure materials.

In addition to supporting the responsible development of Canada's critical mineral resources, government research programs play a key role in providing reliable and up-to-date information on the location, quality, and mineral potential of these resources through cutting edge research, data collection, and analyses. This overview presentation will outline the geoscience research agenda for critical minerals in Canada and how geological surveys can provide geoscience data to guide responsible resource development and investment while supporting the growth of industries that rely on these critical mineral resources.