Canada and US finalize critical mineral collaboration plan
2020-01-13 11:07:08 [Print]
Canada and the United States have finalized their joint action plan to collaborate on minerals they deem critical – including uranium and rare-earth elements – delivering on the June 2019 commitment by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump.
The US last year stepped up efforts to ensure it relies less on rare earth minerals from China. With a rich minerals sector, Canada is well positioned to supply the US with rare-earth elements and already supplies about one-quarter of its southern neighbor's uranium needs.
In fact, Canada supplies 13 of the 35 minerals that the US has identified as critical. The country is the largest supplier of potash, indium, aluminum and tellurium to the US, as well as the second-largest supplier of niobium, tungsten and magnesium.
The newly finalized action plan will guide cooperation in areas such as industry engagement, efforts to secure critical minerals supply chains for strategic industries and defense, improving information sharing on mineral resources and potential and cooperation in multilateral fora and with other countries.
The action plan will also promote joint initiatives, including research and development cooperation, supply chain modeling and increased support for industry.
Experts from both countries will convene in the coming weeks to advance joint initiatives to address shared mineral security concerns.
The US last year stepped up efforts to ensure it relies less on rare earth minerals from China. With a rich minerals sector, Canada is well positioned to supply the US with rare-earth elements and already supplies about one-quarter of its southern neighbor's uranium needs.
In fact, Canada supplies 13 of the 35 minerals that the US has identified as critical. The country is the largest supplier of potash, indium, aluminum and tellurium to the US, as well as the second-largest supplier of niobium, tungsten and magnesium.
The newly finalized action plan will guide cooperation in areas such as industry engagement, efforts to secure critical minerals supply chains for strategic industries and defense, improving information sharing on mineral resources and potential and cooperation in multilateral fora and with other countries.
The action plan will also promote joint initiatives, including research and development cooperation, supply chain modeling and increased support for industry.
Experts from both countries will convene in the coming weeks to advance joint initiatives to address shared mineral security concerns.
