Rare earth minerals could help in climate change fight, but mining raises environmental concerns: expert

While rare earth minerals are now being touted as a key part of effortsto reduce greenhouse gases, there are environmental concerns in extracting these minerals from the ground, says an expert inenvironmental considerations around mining.

Demand is growing for rareearth elements a group of 17metallic elements thattend to occur in the same ore deposits and are used in batteries for everything from vehicles to smartphones.

Rare earth elements are being prioritized for investments in exploration, production and processing as part of Canada's critical minerals strategy, which was announcedlast month.

Some of Canada's experience in mining things likegold or potash is now being used to hunt forrare earth minerals, and Saskatchewan is playing a role throughthe Vital Metals rare earthprocessing plant in Saskatoon, which is expected to begin production in the next couple of months.

The plant will process rare earth elements from the Nechalacho rare earth mine in the Northwest Territories before shipping the refined product to another facility in Norway.

But Isabelle Demers, the Quebec-based Canada Research Chair in Integration of Environment in the Mine Life Cycle, says while Canada has the technology to mine these minerals, it'sdifferent than mining something like gold.

"We definitely need to produce more of these minerals, and ideally we want to produce them in a responsible manner," Demers said in an interview with CBC Saskatchewan'sMorning Edition.

"They are very important because up to now they have been mined mostly in China and other countries, and demand was quite low compared to the upcoming demand to produce all those batteries to meet the commitments for climate change adaptation."

Saskatoon Morning16:14Rare earth element processing is coming to Saskatoon

Rare earth elements were all over the news earlier this month when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Vital Metals in Saskatoon. But what exactly happens at the facility? CBC's Theresa Kliem visits the facility, and host Leisha Grebinski speaks about the impacts of mining with Isabelle Demers, Canada Research Chair in Integration of Environment in the Mine Life Cycle.

Besides the environmental footprint of the mine itself and the waste it produces, there are concerns elements could be released into the environment and cause contamination.

"Those [are] rare earths that are already locked into rock, and once exposed to the atmosphere they could change form and go into a soluble form and into the environment," Demers said.

"Those are elements that we have not seen as much with base-metal mining or gold mining."

Plant draws on Sask.'smining expertise: manager

At the Saskatoon Vital Metals processing plant, general manager Vincent Laniece saidequipment is being assembled and the facility should be up and running in a couple of months.

The plant processesmetals and mineralsextracted at the Nechalacho mineinto a concentrate.

That product will then be shipped toanother facility in Norway for the next step, where the rare earth elements will be separated.

Laniece said while the materials are mined in the Northwest Territories, Saskatoon was chosen for theplant site because of the mining expertise in the province, a knowledgeable workforce and supports like reliable transportation systems.

"We do have all the facilities in Saskatoon for disposing of the waste, for getting the proper contractors for building the plant, and for maintaining the plant," he said.

"If everything goes well and the demand is very strong there is a very good opportunity that we will expand."

Once up and running the facility is expected to employ 50 to 60 people.

Demersbelieves the precautions now in place and expertise in Canadamean thatwhen it comes to mining for rare earth elements, we have a betteridea of what the impacts will be, and there are already effortsto mitigate them.

"So I believe that we're going to be able to reduce these impacts right from the start and not afterwards, like we did several years ago with the gold mine tailings and all that."

The rare earth elements are neededassociety transitions whereenergy comes from,said Demers.

"What I hope is that we do it responsibly that we will prevent or mitigate most impacts and minimize those impacts both on the environment, and also on the communities, and that all this development will be done in the most optimal way for everyone," she said.