Saskatchewan achieves historic benchmark, produces first kilogram of lithium

Saskatchewan has produced its first kilogram of lithium. An essential mineral for battery production, the historic occasion was marked at a test facility in Emerald Park.

Prairie Lithium CEO Zach Maurer was on hand to show off the impressive accomplishment.

“We produce a lot of lithium concentrate and that concentrate was used to produce this battery grade lithium carbonate,” he explained.

The lithium was extracted from brine drilled from deep below the surface near Torquay in the Estevan region.

“This is where we bring our samples to analyse it to see lithium concentration, purity concentration,” he added.

It was perhaps an event equal in significance to the production of Saskatchewan’s first barrel of oil about 80 years ago.

Lithium will be a key component in batteries that power the transportation industry of the future.

"So we are producing the lithium carbonate. I think you’ll see battery cell plants popping up in most states of the U.S. and most provinces in Canada as the EV revolution rolls out," Arizona Lithium Managing Director Paul Lloyd told CTV News.

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Currently, Nevada is the only place in North America producing lithium commercially.

According to Energy and Resources Minister Jim Reiter, the provincial government is taking steps to ensure that Saskatchewan is next.

“It’s important that North America does step up and we become more focused on critical minerals. It’s for security,” he said.

Traditionally, it takes over a decade to bring a lithium facility into commercial production.

Prairie Lithium is moving at lightning speed with the government’s industry support and expects to be in production by the end of next year.

Saskatchewan is home to 27 of the 34 critical minerals on the Government of Canada’s list.

Uranium, potash and helium are currently being produced in the province. Of the remaining 24 – lithium, copper and rare earth elements are the closest to reaching production.

According to the province’s minerals strategy – the aim is to double the number of critical minerals being produced in Saskatchewan from three to six by the end of the decade.

Development of the province’s critical mineral sector is being supported by the Critical Minerals Processing Investment Incentive (CMPII) and the Saskatchewan Critical Minerals Innovation Incentive (SCMII)

The incentives are based on similar programs for Saskatchewan’s oil and gas industry – mainly the Oil and Gas Processing Investment incentive (OGPII) and the Saskatchewan Petroleum Innovation Incentive (SPII).

The CMPII and OGPII will share the same $500 million funding pool and be available until March of 2029.

For innovation related projects, the SCMII and SPII will also share a funding pool of $100 million and will be in effect till March of 2029.

According to the province, more than 50,000 Saskatchewan residents are employed in the mining and energy sectors.