For more than 100 years, Alberta‘s oil fields provided fuel for cars, but starting this year they’ll be supplying lithium for use in electric vehicles (EVs)..That’s because the federal government is working to secure Canadian battery supply chains after Calgary-based E3 Lithium was awarded $3.5 million in funding from Natural Resources Canada's Critical Minerals Research Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program..Funds for the CMRDD program were allocated in the 2021 budget to support the development of Canadian critical minerals in recognition of the crucial role they play in the energy transition, specifically in EVs. E3 Lithium was one of six organizations selected from applicants from across Canada, the company said..In a statement NRCan said the funds will help to advance the development of a “competitive critical minerals sector” through the development and demonstration of innovative processing technologies..“This means good jobs for workers, more investment in Canadian innovation, and lower emissions across the country,” said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson..The funds will be allocated in its entirety towards the design, construction and operation of E3's field pilot plant, which is on track be operational in the third quarter of this year. NRCan joins Alberta Innovates and the Government of Canada's Innovation, Science and Economic Development's (ISED) Strategic Innovation Fund, which previously chipped in a combined $28.3 million to support the development of the lithium industry in Western Canada. ."We are ecstatic to receive funding … to support the work we are doing to produce battery-grade lithium. Receiving support from all levels of government to develop our lithium resource speaks volumes to the importance placed on commercializing critical minerals from Alberta and the progress E3 has made in developing this industry,” added E3 CEO Chris Doornbos..E3 holds a total of 24.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) mineral resources at its Clearwater Lithium Project in Alberta. The company is hoping to extract lithium from the wastewater in depleted oil and gas wells which is more environmentally friendly than sourcing it from massive evaporation ponds. Conventional lithium extraction also releases significant amounts of CO2 emissions..According to the World Economic Forum, global lithium production surpassed 100,000 tonnes for the first time in 2021, quadrupling from 2010. Roughly 90% of it came from just three countries: Australia, Chile and China, which controls about 60% of the world’s lithium refining capacity..That said, Alberta is sitting a top a massive lithium resource in depleted oil reservoirs. Legacy data from these oil and gas exploration and extraction operations has produced expansive data sets that E3 said it has used to quantify aquifer characteristics and delineate resources..The similarities between lithium production and oil production in Alberta mean a well-developed permitting framework is in place to streamline development. There is also a well-defined royalty and tax regime that applies to E3’s project development..Through the successful scale up its proprietary technology, E3 said its goal is to produce high-purity, battery-grade lithium products “from one of the best jurisdictions in the world.”
