The future is clear: transportation electrification is upon us, and the US is kicking it into high gear, enlisting Canada as a key ally in building a secure EV supply chain. The two nations have committed to work together to not only mine the massive amounts of materials needed to support the transition, but also to convert those materials into the advanced products – primarily batteries – that make electric vehicles possible.
As a key supplier of custom mineral processing equipment, process development services, and aftermarket support, FEECO continues to serve the mining industry in bringing the materials needed to support the EV transition to market.
A US Canada Partnership for Electric Vehicles
President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met in February, releasing a “Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership” detailing plans for future cooperation on a number of issues – the EV supply chain among them. The partnership intends to position both nations as a global leader in battery development and production.
Reuters reported that in mid-March, the Department of Commerce also held a closed-door virtual meeting with miners and battery makers aimed at increasing Canadian production of EV materials.
Canada is a mineral-rich nation with the resources and the appetite to fuel a regional hub of EV production in partnership with the US. They are well positioned to provide the US with the materials and components needed to build up a solid EV supply chain, particularly as places like Quebec and Ontario are geographically close to automakers in Michigan and Ohio.
Canada also recently released their own list of critical minerals, laying out the materials on the back of which they intend to become a leading mining nation. Activity has already been on the rise as part of the post-pandemic recovery. Further, the Fraser Institute recently announced its ranking of the top ten most attractive mining districts, and five out of the top six fall within the borders of Canada or the US.
The collaboration between the US and Canada is welcome news to everyone from mineral processing equipment providers to battery cell makers, as the electrification of the transportation industry could create hundreds of thousands of jobs, according to a report by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE).
The effort is also a necessary one if the nations are to get a foothold in the market and not be dependent on the supply chains of competing nations. The fragility of supply chains has come under scrutiny recently in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the United States’ increasing reliance on imports for critical materials.
Working Together on Renewable Energy
The US and Canada will also work in cooperation to fight climate change through clean energy technologies as well. According to the roadmap:
The leaders recognized the important economic and energy security benefits of the bilateral energy relationship and its highly integrated infrastructure. To further advance climate priorities, they agreed to renew and update the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on energy between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Natural Resources Canada to enhance cooperation on sustainable and equitable energy transitions, clean energy innovation, connectivity and low-carbon transportation.
The leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation under the Energy Resource Governance Initiative (ERGI), a multinational effort to foster international cooperation on the minerals and metals that make the energy transition possible.
Conclusion
The ongoing transition to a low-carbon economy and particularly the move toward electrified transportation is putting new demands on resources and supply chains.
As a key provider of custom mineral processing and handling equipment, feasibility testing and process development services, as well as parts and service support, FEECO is a valued partner in bringing the metals and minerals our changing world demands to market. For more information on our equipment or services, contact us today!