Understand Canada's Strategic Advantage with Critical Mineral Supply Chains

1.0 PURPOSE

The department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada requires services to Understand Canada’s Strategic Advantage within Critical Mineral Supply Chains. The services will be required for a period commencing from contract award to September 30th, 2020.

2.0 TITLE OF PROJECT

Understand Canada’s Strategic Advantage with Critical Mineral Supply Chains.

3.0 BACKGROUND

Critical minerals are a group of resources for which there are few substitutes and whose supply is limited to a few major sources that may be subject to disruptive factors. These minerals are also used to enable important, new and emerging technologies. Examples include rare earth elements, tungsten, vanadium and niobium, which have important applications in defence and high tech fields. In addition, lithium, cobalt, graphite and nickel are crucial to the production of electric vehicle batteries or energy storage technologies.

Many countries, including the United States, European Union, Japan, and Korea have studied supply issues for many minerals and metals including geopolitical risk, the scarcity of supply both physical and economic, and the lack of investment in future production (see list of reports in Annex 1). At the same time, global demand for many of these minerals and metals is increasing given the growing adoption of clean energy technologies, including wind and solar power, electric vehicles and energy storage devices. The development of defence technologies and systems is also driving demand. Though used in small amounts, critical minerals are a vital part of these technologies but are prone to significant supply chain risk in the market.

4.0 PROJECT REQUIREMENTS/OBJECTIVES

1. Identify four or more supply chains containing critical minerals that could have strategic value for Canada to play a role.
2. Gain a holistic understanding of the entire supply chain being analyzed (upstream, midstream, downstream) and the factors that could change their dynamics.
3. Understand current and future market and economic conditions for these supply chains around the globe and Canada’s current role (if any) within them.
4. Understand the opportunities, competitive advantages, challenges and barriers present for Canada’s successful involvement in these supply chains.
5. Identify key players and partners globally with whom Canada could collaborate to develop these integrated supply chains.