The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is building a vertically integrated rare earth processing facility in Saskatoon, marking a major step in Canada’s rare earth industry. The facility, under construction with support from Saskatchewan and national funding, aims to position the province as a rare earth technology hub.
"We’re building a first-of-its-kind vertically integrated rare earth processing facility in Saskatoon," said Erin Herman, Associate VP of Fabrication, Research and Development at SRC, during the recent C.R.I.T. Conference. "Our goal is to foster Saskatchewan as a rare earth technology hub, much like what’s been done with Potash and Uranium."
SRC, celebrating over 75 years, serves 1,600 clients globally in sectors including mining, oil and gas, and rare earths. "Saskatchewan is an ideal place for rare earth development," Herman noted. "We have strong regulatory frameworks, public acceptance, and a skilled workforce."
Despite challenges in the emerging rare earth sector, SRC is moving forward with its processing plant, which will produce 400 tons of neodymium-praseodymium (NDPR) annually. "The challenge is building a more comprehensive supply chain in Canada," Herman explained. "We’re focusing on processing and value-added stages, rather than mining."
The facility will process monazite, separating rare earth elements like neodymium and praseodymium. "We’ll produce enough material to power about half a million electric vehicles annually," Herman stated. "That’s 20 per cent of North America’s electric vehicle market."
The project is seen as a demonstration plant for Saskatchewan’s potential in the rare earth market. "This is a commercial demonstration plant," Herman concluded. "It’ll show that we can be competitive in producing rare earths right here in Saskatchewan."
SRC is also advancing rare earth technologies, including an in-house solvent extraction system designed to address market gaps. "When China closed its borders to processing equipment, we built our own," said Herman. "We’ve since developed Canada’s largest PVC welding operation to support our rare earth processing."
SRC’s innovation also extends to automation and AI in solvent, aiming to reduce workforce needs and improve efficiency. "We’re integrating AI to fine-tune operations like fluid flow and temperature," the leadership explained. "This helps streamline processes for better production efficiency."
By 2027, SRC plans to be fully operational, producing high-purity rare earth metals. Their efforts, supported by provincial and federal governments, aim to build a vertically integrated rare earth industry in Canada. "Our goal is to create a sustainable, traceable supply chain for rare earths, supporting both national and global needs," the leadership concluded.