China’s niche metals export ban lifts prospects for Canadian firms
Canadian companies dabbling in these minerals include Teck Resources, Neo Performance Materials and Northern Graphite.
Nouveau Monde Graphite (TSXV: NOU) has awarded ABB a contract to build the 120kV substation for its Phase-2 Matawinie mine in Quebec, Canada, as part of the construction preparation for the establishment of a 103,000-tonne-per-annum graphite mining and concentrator complex.
Located 120 km north of Montreal, Matawinie will be connected to the provincial hydropower network, enabling the access to clean energy to support mining activities and concentrator production of carbon-neutral graphite concentrate destined for the lithium-ion battery market, Nouveau Monde said.
The company added that the infrastructure is set to equip Matawinie as the world’s first all-electric open-pit mine when it starts operating.
“We are excited to move one step closer to building the mine of the future, powered by clean energy to responsibly extract and produce a critical mineral for global decarbonization,” Nouveau Monde CEO Eric Desaulniers said in a news release.
ABB will lead construction of the substation as the primary connection point between the mine site and Hydro-Québec’s hydropower generation facility, enabling full electrification of the Matawinie mine using clean energy.
