Critical minerals

About critical minerals

Critical minerals are important raw materials that are needed to make things that we use every day.

Your cell phone, computer and medical devices all rely on critical minerals.

Critical minerals are “critical” because:

• they are needed for our economy and modern technology
• they are at risk for supply chain disruptions
• there are few or no viable substitutes for them

Ontario has the minerals the world needs. At a time when Ontario is fighting for the future of its economy, we need to get our critical minerals out of the ground, processed and shipped to the factory floors. This will protect Ontario for the future and unleash the province’s enormous economic potential.

How we use critical minerals

Ontario’s critical minerals

Ontario’s geology means we have a tremendous opportunity for critical minerals exploration and development.

Ontario is a significant producer of nickel and cobalt. There are also several advanced lithium and graphite development projects underway.

The biggest opportunity for critical minerals in Ontario is in the Ring of Fire. The region includes vast reserves of:

• chromite
• copper
• nickel
• platinum
• titanium

Made-in-Ontario critical minerals supply chain

Ontario’s vast mineral wealth in the north is complemented by a world-class manufacturing sector in the south.

We want to make sure critical minerals extracted in Ontario are processed, manufactured and eventually recycled right here in Ontario. This is known as an integrated supply chain.

A fully integrated supply chain will:

• make sure minerals mined in Ontario are refined in Ontario
• create new opportunities for workers in Indigenous communities, Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario
• protect local jobs in key manufacturing sectors like the auto industry by connecting northern resources with state-of-the-art production facilities in the south

We are investing in the following programs to attract investment and support exploration and innovation in the critical minerals supply chain:

• Critical Minerals Innovation Fund
• Ontario Junior Exploration Program

Supporting Indigenous partnership in critical mineral development

Ontario is also investing in Indigenous equity, capacity and training to ensure Indigenous communities are key partners in Ontario’s fully integrated critical minerals supply chain. We are:

• tripling the total amount of loan guarantees through the Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program
• improving capacity for Indigenous communities and organizations through the Indigenous Participation Fund
• creating new scholarship opportunities for First Nations postsecondary students interested in pursuing careers in resource development

Critical minerals strategy

Read Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which outlines our 5-year roadmap to:

• drive investment in Ontario’s mining sector
• create jobs in Ontario’s mining sector and other industries
• reduce red tape while maintaining public health and safety, respecting the environment and Aboriginal and treaty rights

Ontario’s critical minerals list