Toronto, Ontario
The growing demand for critical minerals presents a generational opportunity for the Canadian mining industry. As we move toward a low-carbon economy, large amounts of minerals such as graphite, copper, lithium and nickel will be needed to power the green and digital economy at home and around the world. The mining industry is responsible for 665,000 jobs in communities from coast to coast to coast and is proportionally the largest private sector employer of Indigenous Peoples. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in innovative mining solutions that will better equip Canada's mining sector to become a major industrial player in the new green economy.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the 24 recipients of support selected through the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network's second call for proposals. A total of more than $15 million in funding has been allocated to the recipients. They will use this funding to develop projects focusing on the commercialization of mining technologies that will make the mining sector more productive and sustainable and that will strengthen our economy.
MICA's second call for proposals invited applicants to submit projects that will position Canada as a global leader in mining innovation by accelerating the commercialization of made-in-Canada groundbreaking technologies.
Applications came in from across Canada with projects spanning the four technical themes of MICA:
- Increase mine production capacity, at a lower cost.
- Reduce mining energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission
- Implement smart, autonomous mining systems.
- Reduce environmental risk and long-term liabilities.
MICA's funding will allow the recipients to create new tools that will, for example, reduce the carbon emissions in the potash sector or expand the use of autonomous driving for underground mining. With this second call for proposals, MICA will attract over $100 million in private investment and create and retain over 400 highly skilled jobs for Canadians.
