Critical minerals in the Antigonish Highlands, Nova Scotia

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) recently developed a list of critical minerals that includes 31 minerals (chemical elements) deemed critical for Canada’s transition to greener energy. Critical elements are commodities that are geopolitically controlled, in low supply, or difficult to separate from other elements. Secure supplies of critical elements are essential for renewable energy and clean technology applications (e.g., batteries, permanent magnets, solar panels, and wind turbines). Of the 31 critical elements listed by Natural Resources Canada, magmatic rock-forming processes can concentrate many of them (e.g., Nb, Ta, Ti, Zn, rare earth elements or REE). Plutonic rocks in the West Barneys River area, Nova Scotia have high REE concentrations. Despite this recognition, the metal source(s) have not been the focus of an academic research. The objectives are to investigate the mineralogy, age, origin, and economic potential of the plutonic rocks to develop a genetic model for REE formation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Donnelly Archibald

Student:

Partner:

Solterra Georesources

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Mining

University:

St. Francis Xavier University

Program: