Sault St. Marie/CMEDIA: As part of the government’s Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP), the Ontario government is investing $5.8 million to help junior mining companies explore for critical minerals used in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles, smartphones, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing technologies, a news release has said.
This funding would facilitate increase and expand mineral exploration, growth and job creation in the province, particularly in northern and Indigenous communities.
“These investments are an important part…building a supply chain ecosystem, connecting resources and workers in the north to the future of clean steel and electric vehicles, and ensuring the cars of the future can be built in Ontario from start to finish by Ontario workers,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said.
A total of $12 million over four years is being invested by Ontario or critical mineral exploration in the OJEP.
32 mining companies have received funding for exploration of minerals such as nickel, copper, cobalt and lithium since the launch of the program in 2021. These companies have invested an additional $12.8 million in these projects.
“Early exploration is the first step to finding future mines including critical minerals,” George Pirie, Minister of Mines has said. “The Ontario Junior Exploration Program is helping unlock the province’s vast mineral exploration potential and paving the way for unprecedented growth in our mining sector.”
The following critical minerals mining projects have been funded by the Ontario Junior Exploration Program.
- $200,000 to VR Resources Ltd. to complete a drill program with eight holes
- $200,000 to MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. to complete a drill program with eight holes
- $200,000 to Tyko Resources Inc. to complete the Tyko Ni-Cu-PGE drilling program, consisting of nine holes
- $172,000 to BTU Metals Corp. to complete a drill program with three holes
- $150,000 to 5007223 Ontario Inc. to complete a diamond drill program with five holes, line cutting activities and an induced polarization (IP) survey
- $71,857 to Transition Metals Corp. to complete an airborne geophysical survey over an area of 363 kilometres
“Our government will continue…supporting early exploration, we are opening the door for economic development across the north that will lead to high quality full-time jobs and stronger communities,” Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development has said.
A third round of applications for the Ontario Junior Exploration Program is currently being accepted by the province. The deadline to apply is March 16, 2023. Details on the application process are available online.
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