The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Mining Explorers 2024 - January 15, 2025
Alaska and Northern Canada are rich in the minerals and metals essential for clean energy, high tech, and military readiness but are poor in the infrastructure needed to unlock these critical minerals.
Alaska hosts 49 out of the 50 minerals deemed critical to America's economic well-being and national security but is lacking in much of the infrastructure needed to realize this mineral potential.
A sample from Nickel Shäw, a western Yukon project being advanced by Nickel Creek Platinum that hosts 2.5 billion lb of nickel, 1.3 billion lb of copper, 137 million lb of cobalt, 3.3 million oz of palladium, and 3.1 million oz of platinum in the measured and indicated resource categories.
Looking over the valley at Galore Creek, a Northern B.C. project that hosts 12 billion lb of copper needed for the clean energy transition.
Boxes of drill core from Turnagain, a Northern B.C. mine project being advanced by Giga Metals that hosts 12.3 billion lb of nickel and 742.8 million lb of cobalt.
Map of potential route for connecting the Yukon to the north end of the electrical grid in British Columbia's Golden Triangle.
Looking over the tungsten-enriched Mactung project area spanning the Yukon-Northwest Territories border.
Vital Metals is advancing the exploration and studies needed for a larger mining operation at its Nechalacho rare earths project in Northwest Territories.
SPC Nickel geologists carried out a two-week prospecting, mapping, and sampling program this summer at the Muskox copper-nickel-PGM project in Nunavut.
As the United States wrestles to loosen China's grip on the global supply of critical minerals, there is a growing realization that Alaska and Canada's North host rich deposits of the elements essential to the energy transition, national security, and the overall economy.
Antimony and graphite in Alaska, platinum group metals (PGM) and tungsten in the Yukon, cobalt and lithium in Northwest Territories, nickel and uranium in Nunavut, and world-class deposits of copper in British Columbia's Golden Triangle are some of the highlights that barely scratch the surface of the critical mineral potential across the North.
Alaska and Northern Canada, however, are expansive frontiers that lie at and beyond the reaches of North America's transportation and energy infrastructure. This lack of connectivity explains why very large and high-grade mineral deposits remain undeveloped across this region; it also represents the largest challenge to unlocking the critical minerals potential at the northern reaches of North America's supply chains.
The limited transportation and energy infrastructure across the North is reflected in the most recent edition of Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies. While all five jurisdictions were ranked in the top 25% of global mining jurisdiction when it comes to mineral potential, Alaska and Canada's territories all ranked in the bottom half when it comes to infrastructure.
The challenges of developing mines in a frontier region known for its cold and dark winters also offer opportunities in an era when clean energy, emerging technologies, and everyday living are driving up demand for critical minerals.
"The North is often viewed through the lens of its challenges - vast distances, harsh climates, and small populations - but these very factors make the North an exciting opportunity for Canada," Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson inked in an October column on unlocking the North's potential.
Policymakers, military leaders, and mining companies are becoming increasingly aware of the rich mineral opportunities found across Alaska and Canada's North and are investing in overcoming the challenges of unlocking the potential across this northern frontier.
Alaska hosts 49 out of the 50 minerals deemed critical to America's economic well-being and national security but is lacking in much of the infrastructure needed to realize this mineral potential.
From Ucore Rare Metals Inc.'s Bokan Mountain rare earths project on the Southeast Alaska Panhandle to the world-class Red Dog zinc mine about 1,300 miles to the northwest, America's Last Frontier state is undeniably rich in minerals and metals critical to the U.S.
Analysis completed by Data Mine North identified 49 out of the 50 minerals critical to the U.S. in deposits and prospects across the Far North State. This largely untapped mineral potential has captured the attention of many Washington, D.C. decision-makers.
"We must end America's dangerous dependence on China for critical minerals, which are increasingly necessary for alternative energy sources, advanced batteries, and defense technologies," said Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan. "Alaska can and will lead the way in unleashing America's resource potential."
The U.S. Department of Defense shares Sen. Sullivan's concerns about China and has taken a keen interest in Alaska's critical minerals potential.
In mid-2023, the Pentagon awarded Graphite One Inc. $37.5 million to finalize a feasibility study for an all-American graphite material supply chain that would connect the world-class Graphite Creek project in western Alaska to America's burgeoning clean energy sector.
"This Department of Defense grant underscores confidence in our strategy to build a 100% U.S.-based advanced graphite supply chain – from mining to refining to recycling," said Graphite One President and CEO Anthony Huston.
The Graphite Creek anchoring this supply chain hosts the largest known graphite deposit in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Future graphite mined in Alaska will be upgraded to battery-grade anode material and other materials at a processing plant to be built at a former national defense critical minerals storage stockpile site in Ohio.
A feasibility study that outlines the engineering and economic parameters of the Graphite One supply chain is currently underway.
DOD is also keeping close tabs on high-grade antimony projects that have come to the fore in Alaska.
"The antimony and other critical minerals found at Estelle has drawn major interest from the Department of Defense," Nova Minerals CEO Chis Gerteisen said when talking about the company's gold-antimony project in Alaska's West Susitna Mineral District.
Nova has identified high-grade targets at Estelle that have the potential to be quickly developed into small mines that could significantly impact North American supplies. Felix Gold Ltd. has identified similar high-grade deposits on its Treasure Creek project near Fairbanks, Alaska.
When paired with a central processing facility capable of upgrading the antimony to products for military and high-tech applications, the Pentagon sees these Alaska projects as near-term solution to America's heavy dependence on China and Russia.
"The company is working closely with various U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Defense, to potentially receive grant funding for fast tracking the Estelle antimony production," said Gertiesen. "The company believes its proposal applications already submitted for available grant funding will be taken under serious consideration, particularly in light of the recent announcement of China export restrictions."
Boxes of drill core from Turnagain, a Northern B.C. mine project being advanced by Giga Metals that hosts 12.3 billion lb of nickel and 742.8 million lb of cobalt.
While the Northern B.C.'s Golden Triangle is much better connected than its neighbors to the north, this extremely rich critical minerals region lies deep enough into mining's frontier that the value of its world-class deposits of copper, gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, and other metals has not been fully realized.
To help unlock Northern B.C.'s critical minerals potential, the provincial and federal governments are investing roughly C$215 million (US$156 million) to upgrade and expand upon roads in the Golden Triangle.
In July, the B.C. and Canadian governments unveiled the C$195 million (US$143 million) Northwest BC Highway Corridor Improvements Project aimed at benefitting critical minerals development, while making the road safer and more reliable for Golden Triangle residents.
Financed through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, a flagship program under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, this highway improvement project is expected to support the development and operation of several Golden Triangle mining projects rich in copper, molybdenum, zinc, nickel, and cobalt.
The federal government is covering C$75 million of the costs, with the balance of the project being funded by B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Improving the transportation infrastructure in the northern reaches of the province is a key piece of the B.C. Critical Mineral Strategy unveiled by Premier David Eby at AME Roundup 2024, an annual mining conference that draws thousands to Vancouver, B.C., each January.
"B.C. has the critical minerals the world needs to build a clean economy," said B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne. "We are seizing the generational opportunity before us to create jobs, not only in northwest B.C., but also in communities across the province that supply and provide services to our mining sector."
Roughly 75% of Canada's total copper reserves are found within the Golden Triangle, yet Newmont's Red Chris Mine is the only operation in the region that is currently producing this metal critical to the clean energy transition.
In addition to copper and gold, the Golden Triangle is home to Turnagain, a battery metals project being advanced by Giga Metals Corp., in partnership with Mitsubishi Corp., that hosts 1.57 million metric tons of measured and indicated resources averaging 0.21% (7 billion pounds) nickel and 0.013% (435 million lb) cobalt, plus 1.16 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 0.22% (5.3 billion lb) nickel and 0.012% (307.8 million lb) cobalt.
Developing the more advanced mine projects in the Golden Triangle has the potential to create up to an estimated 3,000 new jobs, spur roughly C$20 billion (US$14.6 billion) in capital investments, generate over C$450 million (US$329 million) in annual mineral taxes, and create substantial revenue-sharing and economic opportunities for local First Nations.
"Investment into the Northwest Region has a direct correlation to the good work being carried out by Nations to ensure that regional economic stability is great for all Canadians," Nisga'a Nation President Eva Clayton said in response to the Northwest BC Highway Corridor Improvements Project. "We see the importance of the critical minerals investments like this supporting safer access to industry and long-term economic growth of our people."
Looking over the valley at Galore Creek, a Northern B.C. project that hosts 12 billion lb of copper needed for the clean energy transition.
On top of its investment into the Northwest BC Highway Corridor Improvements Project, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has conditionally committed C$20 million (US$14.5 million) to support the construction of a 43-kilometer (27 miles) road to the world-class Galore Creek mine project in the Golden Triangle.
"Canada's support for Galore Creek represents confidence in our project, our owners, the relationships we have fostered with the Tahltan Nation and our commitment to responsibly developing a world-class copper-gold mine," said Rob Mean, general manager of Galore Creek Mining Corp., a 50-50 joint venture between Newmont Corp. and Teck Resources Ltd.
Being financed through the federal Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund, the road will provide the connection needed for Galore Creek to deliver copper concentrates to market.
The road corridor will also be used to build a transmission line that connects Galore Creek to BC Hydro's low-emission electrical grid, which will help lower the carbon footprint of the copper produced at the future mine.
"We have a generational opportunity to create good jobs, not only in northwest B.C. but also in communities across the province that supply and provide services to our mining sector," said Osborne. "That's why we are working with Canada and First Nations on key infrastructure upgrades needed to unlock billions of investments in new critical mineral mines like Galore Creek and provide new opportunities for people and communities."
Ottawa's Galore Creek Road funding is part of a larger federal infrastructure investment package that also includes C$40 million (US$29 million) to connect the northernmost reaches of B.C. and the Yukon to North America's energy grid.
"This project will connect Canada's two most western jurisdictions, helping bring the Yukon on to the North American power grid," said Yukon's Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, John Streicker. "It marks a significant step in our shared journey to build a more connected and resilient energy landscape for Yukoners while reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
BCHydro's Northwest Transmission Line already delivers industrial-grade hydroelectricity deep into Northern B.C.
Map of potential route for connecting the Yukon to the north end of the electrical grid in British Columbia's Golden Triangle.
Known as "The Grid Connect Project," this northern extension of the electrical grid is expected to include proposed energy infrastructure in two priority critical mineral development regions – Yukon's Cassiar and Tanana regions and B.C.'s Golden Triangle.
"The Grid Connect Project is more than an energy initiative: it presents a transformative opportunity for all Yukoners," said Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai. "By delivering clean, affordable and reliable clean energy, this project will not only power our homes but also drive economic and social growth."
Some of that economic and social growth could come from mining critical mineral deposits that span the Yukon – from nickel and PGM deposits near the territory's western border with Alaska to the rich tungsten deposits lying on its eastern border with Northwest Territories.
The first energy metals deposit that would benefit from the connection to B.C. hydroelectricity is Western Copper and Gold Corp.'s Casino copper-gold-silver-molybdenum project about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of Whitehorse.
Being advanced with the financial backing of Rio Tinto and Mitsubishi Materials, Casino is a near-development-stage mine project that is anticipated to produce roughly 178 million lb of copper, 231,000 oz of gold, 1.36 million oz of silver, and 16.6 million lb of molybdenum annually for at least 25 years.
In addition to being a beneficiary of The Grid Connect Project, the roughly 130 MW of baseload power this energy transition, precious, and industrial metals mine will need help to justify the costs of building 475 miles (765 kilometers) of transmission line to connect the Yukon to North American power.
A sample from Nickel Shäw, a western Yukon project being advanced by Nickel Creek Platinum that hosts 2.5 billion lb of nickel, 1.3 billion lb of copper, 137 million lb of cobalt, 3.3 million oz of palladium, and 3.1 million oz of platinum in the measured and indicated resource categories.
Once connected, it opens up the potential of extending low-carbon grid power west toward the Alaska border – where Nickel Creek Platinum Corp. has outlined more than 2.5 billion lb of nickel, 1.3 billion lb of copper, 7 million oz of PGMs, and 137 million lb of cobalt at its Nickel Shäw project.
The North American grid power could also be extended east to the border with Northwest Territories – where Fireweed Metals Corp. is advancing the world's largest high-grade tungsten deposit at Mactung and is outlining large zinc deposits with potential gallium and germanium byproducts on the neighboring Macpass project.
In addition to energizing the breadth of the Yukon, these extensions open up the potential for future interties with the territory's critical minerals-rich neighbors.
Looking over the tungsten-enriched Mactung project area spanning the Yukon-Northwest Territories border.
Northwest Territories, Yukon's neighbor to the east, is rapidly emerging as a potentially significant global supplier of minerals critical to North America's clean energy and high-tech sectors.
In addition to the tungsten deposits that span its eastern border, Northwest Territories host large deposits of lithium, cobalt, bismuth, and rare earths, as well as significant occurrences of roughly two dozen other minerals critical to Canada and the U.S.
"The NWT is home to some of the world's most significant untapped reserves of critical minerals, such as rare earth elements, lithium, and cobalt – resources vital to the global transition to clean energy," said Simpson.
Arguably, the most advanced critical minerals asset in Northwest Territories is Fortune Minerals Ltd.'s NICO cobalt-bismuth-copper-gold project about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Yellowknife.
Lying just 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of the newly built Tlicho Highway, NICO hosts 33.1 million metric tons of proven and probable reserves containing 82.3 million lb of cobalt, 102.1 million lb of bismuth, 27.2 million lb of copper, and 1.11 million oz of gold.
Previous studies have detailed plans for a mine at NICO and a refinery in neighboring Alberta capable of producing 1,800 metric tons of battery-grade cobalt sulfate, 1,700 metric tons of bismuth, 300 metric tons of copper, and 47,000 oz of gold annually over the first 14 years of mining.
This intriguing mix of cobalt for lithium-ion batteries, bismuth used in various automotive and metallurgical applications, copper for the energy transition, and gold to help improve the economics of producing the critical metals has captured the attention of both Ottawa and Washington, DC.
In May, DOD and NRCan awarded Fortune a combined C$16.2 million (US$12 million) to support the development of the planned NICO mine and refinery.
"As a planned vertically integrated development, the NICO project covers the entire mineral production process from mining and concentrating ores to refining metals to final cobalt sulfate and bismuth ingot products with copper and gold co-products," DOD penned in an announcement on its funding of the project.
Fortune is using the funds to update and expand upon a nearly decade-old feasibility study for NICO.
The project that puts NICO's status as the most advanced critical minerals project in Northwest Territories is Nechalacho, due to the fact that this rare earths project being advanced by Vital Metals Ltd. was recently the site of the first and only rare earths mine in Canada.
While this operation about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Yellowknife grabbed international headlines for its promise to break the West's heavy dependence on China for rare earths, Vital decided to wind down the modest but high-grade rare earths mine in favor of advancing the development of a mine that matches the globally significant scale of the deposit found there.
Vital Metals is advancing the exploration and studies needed for a larger mining operation at its Nechalacho rare earths project in Northwest Territories.
The Tardiff deposit at Nechalacho hosts 31.1 million metric tons of measured and indicated resources averaging 1.15% (358,000 metric tons) total rare earth oxides (TREO); plus 181.6 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 1.17% (2.13 million metric tons) TREO.
What makes this deposit particularly important to the energy transition is that neodymium and praseodymium, a pair of rare earths that are the primary ingredients in the permanent magnets in EV motors and a wide range of other applications, comprise roughly 25% of the overall rare earths outlined at Tardiff.
As of the writing of this report, Vital was in the process of expanding and upgrading the
Tardiff resource, which will be incorporated into a scoping-level study that provides a first look at the financial and engineering parameters of a larger mine at Nechalacho.
One of the most exciting critical mineral developments in Northwest Territories is the enormous lithium potential being unlocked in the Yellowknife Pegmatite Provinces, which extends from the territory's capital to Nechalacho.
Li-FT Power Ltd., a first mover and the most prolific explorer in the pegmatite province, announced an inaugural resource for its Yellowknife Lithium project in October.
Based on roughly one year of drilling, Li-FT outlined 50.4 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 1% (506,000 metric tons) lithium oxide (LiO2) in eight of the 13 pegmatite dikes it has identified on its Yellowknife properties.
"With an estimated 50.4 million tonnes at a grade of 1% Li2O based only on the initial drilling program, the Yellowknife Lithium Project already ranks among the top 10 largest spodumene projects in the Americas," said Li-FT Power CEO Francis MacDonald.
The company has already initiated a preliminary economic study for developing a lithium mining operation at Yellowknife, which is slated for completion by midyear.
Simpson is advocating for additional investments in energy, transportation, and communication infrastructure that will "unlock the North's enormous potential for the benefit of all Canadians."
"The North is Canada's next horizon," the Northwest Territories Premier said.
SPC Nickel geologists carried out a two-week prospecting, mapping, and sampling program this summer at the Muskox copper-nickel-PGM project in Nunavut.
Canada's critical mineral-enriched northern horizon extends east into Nunavut, a vast territory rich in uranium, along with cobalt, copper, nickel PGMs, high-purity iron, and other minerals and metals essential to the clean energy transition.
A declaration by more than 20 countries at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050 has energized the exploration and development of uranium projects in Nunavut.
The Thelon Basin in Canada's largest territory has long been regarded as one of the world's richest stores of uranium.
At least eight companies – from global uranium producers like Orano to junior exploration companies such as Ahtna Energy – are now exploring the Thelon Basin's high-grade and widespread uranium potential.
Uranium, however, is not the only critical mineral being explored in Nunavut.
SPC Nickel believes its district-scale Muskox property in western Nunavut covers "one of the last true camp-scale nickel-copper opportunities in North America," comparable to other world-class nickel-copper-PGM regions such as Norilsk in Russia's Siberia and Voisey's Bay in Canada's Newfoundland and Labrador.
SPC geologists collected from the roughly 250-square-mile (650 square kilometers) Muskox project last year with grades as high as 19.5% copper, 9.42% nickel and 107.3 g/t PGMs.
StrategX Elements Corp.'s Nagvaak project on Nunavut's Melville Peninsula is a 6,000- by 400-meter zone of strong vanadium, nickel, copper, cobalt, molybdenum, zinc, silver, and gold.
Canadian North Resources Inc.'s Ferguson Lake nickel-copper-cobalt-PGM project in Nunavut's Kivalliq region in southern Nunavut.
According to the newest calculation, Ferguson Lake hosts 66.1 million metric tons of indicated resource averaging 0.75% (1.09 billion lb) copper, 0.47% (678.2 million lb) nickel, 0.05% (79.9 million lb) cobalt, 1.1 g/t (2.34 million oz) palladium, and 0.19 g/t (419,000 oz) platinum.
The company also carried out its first lithium-specific exploration program last year to investigate extensive pegmatites identified over a 253.8-square-kilometer area of its Ferguson Lake property.
This work was partially funded by a C$250,000 grant from Nunavut's Discover, Invest, Grow (DIG) program.
"This grant further highlights the strong potential of the Ferguson Lake project and reinforces our commitment to responsible, sustainable exploration and mine development in Nunavut," said Canadian North Resources President and CEO Kaihui Yang. "We remain dedicated to building lasting relationships with local communities and government as we work together toward developing this valuable resource."
A resource indicative of the vast critical potential across a northern horizon that extends 3,400 miles (5,500 kilometer) from the east coast of Nunavut to the western reaches of Alaska.
Over his more than 16 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.
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