{"id":2179,"date":"2026-08-03T03:23:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T03:23:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/futureknowledge.in\/?p=2179"},"modified":"2026-08-03T03:23:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T03:23:54","slug":"ottawa-approves-ontario-nickel-mine-that-could-be-western-worlds-largest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/futureknowledge.in\/?p=2179","title":{"rendered":"Ottawa approves Ontario nickel mine that could be western world's largest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/p>\n

Ottawa has approved the construction of a mine in Ontario<\/a> that\u2019s expected to be the largest nickel sulphide operation<\/a> in the west, a key metal that\u2019s used to build stainless steel and batteries of electric vehicles. <\/p>\n

Canada Nickel Company Inc.<\/a> received the federal government\u2019s approval for its Crawford Nickel Project, located about 42 kilometres north of Timmins in Ontario. The project is expected to attract $5 billion in investment and create 4,000 new careers, the federal government said in a statement on Friday. <\/p>\n

\u201cNickel is one of those commodities that China has been able to garner significant influence,\u201d said Mark Selby, chief executive of Canada Nickel. \u201c Two-thirds of the world\u2019s nickel<\/a> now comes from Indonesia through plants that are largely Chinese controlled.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Crawford project is one of 18 projects that the federal government has referred to the Major Projects Office<\/a> , an agency created by prime minister Mark Carney\u2019s government to speed up the building of key projects that are likely to boost Canada\u2019s economy and, in the process, reduce the country\u2019s reliance on the United States. <\/p>\n

The metal, which is used in the aerospace, defence and automotive sectors, is also considered one of Canada\u2019s critical minerals<\/a> . These are minerals that are likely to play a key role in the gradual transition of the global economy towards clean energy. <\/p>\n

In case of electric vehicles, nickel is used primarily for big cars and trucks and luxury vehicles, since the metal, that\u2019s used as a battery cathode, helps provide a longer range. <\/p>\n

While Canada Nickel has received an approval from the federal government, it doesn\u2019t expect to begin construction until the fourth quarter of 2027. It will take about two more years after the start, to finish building the mine. It\u2019s expected to run for 41 years. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the main permit in terms of approval, but there\u2019s a number of supplementary permits, both at the provincial and federal level that you require. They are not sort of a big yes or no permits, but we need to get through the work before we break ground,\u201d said Selby. <\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

The cost to build the mine would be about US$2 billion, but Canada Nickel will have to raise US$2.5 billion to cover interests and other aspects. US$1.5 billion will be raised through debt, while another billion through equity, Selby said. <\/p>\n

Canada\u2019s environment minister Julie Dabrusin deemed that the potential effects<\/a> as a result of the mine are justified when taking into account the benefits of the project, the federal government said in a statement. The decision was informed based on scientific evidence and consultation with Indigenous groups, the statement said. <\/p>\n