After announcing the arrival of a $750 million strategic copper foil plant for the battery sector from Volta Canada Energy Solutions in Granby last Tuesday, Ottawa agreed to protect copper supplies nationally for security reasons.
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Ten months after ordering three Chinese companies to withdraw their lithium beads, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has hit the nail on the head.
“We currently even have a bill in the House of Representatives that will give us even more important tools for the minister,” he summarized and tightened the screw.
“Apart from China, Canada has all the essential minerals, not only for the production of batteries but also semiconductors,” he stressed.
In Quebec, four strategic mines in Nord-du-Québec and Abitibi-Témiscamingue produced precious copper in 2021, according to a Ministry of Natural Resources document updated in June last year. (See table at the end)
According to Natural Resources Canada, national copper exports totaled over $9.9 billion that same year.
Copper residues
Interviewed by Le Journal, Volta Energy Solutions Canada, which plans to produce enough copper sheets in Granby for 2.5 million vehicles, said it was “in discussions with several Quebec suppliers of copper residues.”
Volta Energy Solutions Canada hopes to quickly produce copper foil for the electric car industry at its Granby plant. Photo Francis Halin
“Volta only uses leftover copper foil, which comes from the information and telecommunications industry, for example. “The residues come from processed products and not from mines,” it said.
“Metal conversion processes must not come at the expense of the environment and public health,” said Rodrigue Turgeon, co-leader of the national coalition’s “Québec Meilleur Mine” program.
Not Canadian Royalties Inc.
Volta emphasized to the Journal that it does not do business with Canadian Royalties Inc. for its $750 million factory project in Estrie.
Two months ago, the Sino-Canadian royalties passed into the hands of the Swiss-based company Canadian Assets SA, but the president and chief operating officer remained the same, James Xiang, if we rely on the Quebec corporate registry.
James Xiang was also previously President of North American Lithium (NAL).
Canadian Royalties did not respond to the Journal’s questions.
Tensions with China
Last November, Beijing was outraged by Minister Champagne’s outing, which ordered three companies to divest from their investments in critical minerals.
The Chinese Consulate General in Montreal denounced the “obstacles” to the Journal [qui] are artificially created” by Ottawa.
“We hope the Canadian side can create a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory business climate for Chinese companies and those from other countries,” he said.
– In collaboration with Sylvain Larocque, Philippe Langlois and Yves Lévesque
Copper mines in Quebec
- Agnico Eagle, LaRonde mine, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Canada)
- Canadian Royalies, Nunavik Mine, in Nord-du-Québec (Switzerland)
- Glencore, Raglan mine, in Nord-du-Québec (Switzerland)
- Glencore, Bracemac-McLeod mine, in Nord-du-Québec (Switzerland)
Source: Amounts, values and fees paid by companies in 2021 per mine (US dollars), Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests
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