90,000 NATO Troops Mobilize in "Biggest Exercise" Since Cold War

By RFE/RL staff - Feb 12, 2024

• Steadfast Defender 24 involves 90,000 troops from all 31 NATO members, aimed at testing responses to a simulated conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary, widely understood to be Russia.
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• The exercise, spanning four months, includes transatlantic reinforcement of forces, amphibious assaults, air maneuvers, and land operations, with a focus on defense readiness and coordination among NATO allies.
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• Amidst ongoing tensions with Russia, particularly concerning the war in Ukraine, NATO's massive drills aim to reassure European allies and demonstrate the alliance's preparedness to defend against potential threats.
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In late January, NATO began what it has called its “largest military exercise since the Cold War.”

Steadfast Defender 24 involves 90,000 troops from all 31 alliance members as well as NATO invitee Sweden for four months of maneuvers by land, sea, and air.

You have to go all the way back to 1988 for the last NATO exercise that involved more troops: Reforger with 125,000. In between, the Trident Juncture exercise in 2018 included 50,000 personnel.

While official NATO documents don’t say outright that they’re training against a potential Russian offensive on allied territory, it’s clear that’s what is on their minds.

The alliance says it is testing responses “during a simulated emerging conflict scenario with a near-peer adversary.”

Exercise maps will show an adversary with a fictitious name, but privately my NATO sources acknowledge without hesitation that “of course this means Russia.”

Deep Background: Take a look at the geography and what the alliance will practice, and it becomes even more evident.

Roughly speaking, Steadfast Defender 24 includes two phases. The first, which kicked off slowly at the end of January, involves the transatlantic reinforcement of forces. This is in fact the key to see if the United States can effectively deploy a large number of troops and equipment to continental Europe to mount a defense.

Don’t underestimate the symbolism, as the United States nears a presidential election that culminates on November 5. The image of U.S. troops training alongside other nations in mock amphibious assaults in the Atlantic in the next two months, involving more than 50 naval vessels including aircraft carriers, frigates, and destroyers, could help assuage European fears of a less committed United States down the road.

The second phase of the exercise is equally crucial and is likely to show whether NATO is capable of defending its vulnerable eastern flank -- “every inch of allied territory,” as NATO officials like to put it.

Starting in mid-February and running till the end of May, many of the elements will take place on land and in the sky, involving up to 80 air platforms including F-35 fighter jets, helicopters, and drones, as well as more than 1,000 combat vehicles, including 166 tanks.

The epicenter is Poland, where a major river crossing will be attempted in March, but also in the Baltic states, with Germany acting as a major hub for reinforcement and coordination.

There will also be exercises throughout the Nordic region, as well as Czechia, Hungary, North Macedonia, and Romania.

Drilling Down

• This will also represent the first proper chance for NATO to test aspects of its new defense plans agreed at the Vilnius NATO summit in July, a 4,000-page document in which every ally should know exactly which part of alliance territory it should defend if NATO is attacked.
• Another big test is seeing how well the alliance’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), which was created as a direct response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, functions. It will be one of the bloc’s key components to defend any potential attack, with some 6,000 troops that should be deployable within days to any corner of the alliance.
• One of the aims of Steadfast Defender is ensuring this reaction force can be deployed together with various national forces once each year, starting from 2025. So this year is very much a test run.
• While the exercise has been planned for years, it comes at a pivotal time. Two years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it should act as assurance that the alliance is ready in case the war creeps closer or even spreads across NATO members’ borders.
• While no Ukrainian troops are participating, the specter of the war in that country looms large in planners’ minds. Speaking to media in early February, NATO Brigadier General Gunnar Bruegner said “there is this unified sense that we need to go bigger, we need to train harder” when asked about the impact of the war on the alliance.
• The real question, however, is whether it will truly allay fears in Europe. Firstly, weapons deliveries to Ukraine have dropped alarmingly in recent months. The chairman of NATO’s military committee, Rob Bauer, said last fall that Western arms industries need to ramp up, as "the bottom of the barrel is now visible.”
• Then there have been plenty of recent official warnings that European allies must step up and prepare for the war potentially escaping containment to spread beyond Ukraine. And it’s not just Ukraine’s neighbors.
• The Belgian Army chief Michel Hofman suggested that Putin opening a second front in Moldova or the Baltics is not out of the question. And Hofman’s Swedish counterpart, Micael Byden, warned in late January that his countrymen “mentally must prepare for war,” triggering a slight panic as the public rushed out to buy extra fuel and survival kits.

By RFE/RL

Trump Can't Stop Energy Transition: Kerry

By Julianne Geiger - Feb 13, 2024

Former President—and current Presidential candidate—Donald Trump—won't be able to stand in the way of the Energy Transition, John Kerry said on Tuesday at the International Energy Agency ministerial meeting.

The U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate did warn, however, that President Trump could reverse the efforts made in anti-coal diplomacy.

"Even when President Trump was there for those 4 years, 75% of our new electricity came from renewables because we had portfolio laws in the 37 states that required the deployment of renewables ... so whatever happens, that's not going to change the direction we're moving in," Kerry said, adding that the green revolution was happening "notwithstanding the hiccup of the farmers' strikes or a president of a country who wants to pull out of the Paris agreement."

Former President Donald Trump has been clear about his plans to reduce U.S. contributions to international organizations—which could include the International Energy Agency, pull the United States out from the Parison climate agreement (again), and "unleash the production of domestic energy resources." Those resources could include coal.

Kerry cautioned that while Trump was unlikely to be able to unravel the green efforts made under the current administration, that Trump could still set the climate progress back. Kerry took the opportunity to highlight the success "with China in getting China to agree that they're not going to fund any more foreign coal-fired power being built, which is a step forward." Kerry added, however, that enforcing that agreement "has proven to be complicated." The agreement from China does not include, however, coal-fired power being built within China.

While Kerry's words were seasoned with some acknowledgment that Donald Trump, if re-elected, would have limitations on unraveling green policies and progress, Myron Ebell of the EPA has previously stated that "Trump will undo everything Biden has done, he will move more quickly and go further than he did before." One primary target, said Ebell, will be the $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

SCI-FI-TEK

Fusion Breakthrough Could Spark AI and Quantum Computing Boom

By ZeroHedge - Feb 10, 2024

• NIF researchers achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that created more energy output than input, a historic first in energy research.
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• Peer review confirms the breakthrough, opening the door for developing practical fusion reactors capable of providing near-unlimited energy.
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• The availability of fusion energy could significantly accelerate progress in energy-intensive technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, potentially overcoming current energy bottlenecks.
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Authored by Tristan Greene via CoinTelegraph.com,

A recent physics breakthrough that could serve as a proof-of-concept for the development of nuclear fusion reactors capable of producing near-unlimited energy has finally passed its official peer-review successfully. 

On Dec. 5, 2022, a team of researchers at the United States National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California recorded data indicating that it had achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that created more energy than it took to produce. The reported results were the first of their kind.

In physics, this is sometimes colloquially referred to as a “free lunch,” meaning a nuclear fusion reactor could one day be scaled to the point where it is capable of producing near-unlimited energy.

If the NIF team’s reported results were correct, their breakthrough research could serve as a platform for the future technology that might help us eliminate our dependence on carbon energy and supercharge fields where energy scarcity presents as a roadblock, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.

But, as science communicator Carl Sagan put it, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” News of the breakthrough was taken with both a measure of optimism and a grain of salt by the physics community. The general consensus, at the time, was that people should wait until peer review before shouting “eureka!” at the findings.

Eureka time?

The peer review is in, and according to a report in the APA Physics journal, multiple teams have confirmed and replicated the results.

Recreating the experiment was no easy feat. To achieve the original fusion reaction, NIF scientists used a technique called inertial confinement fusion. This form of fusion involves bombarding heavy hydrogen atoms with nearly 200 lasers, causing them to superheat and, ultimately, fuse at pressures greater than those found within the sun.

While this early work has only just been confirmed through peer review, the NIF device could serve as a platform by which practical fusion reactors can be built. It’s currently too soon to predict when a viable fusion reactor might be achieved.

Next-generation energy

Once realized, however, the free availability of so-called next-generation energy sources could supercharge the engineering and development of adjacent technologies such as AI and quantum computing. 

Fields such as those, where energy bottlenecks at play are perceived to be the next great hurdle to scale, could see generational leaps in progress once those roadblocks are removed.

As Cointelegraph recently reported, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said there’s no way to build the AI systems of the future until there’s a fusion energy breakthrough. It’s possible that this work from the NIF team could be the first confirmed step toward that breakthrough technology.

OpenAI might be in the best position to understand the energy requirements needed to train systems such as ChatGPT, but it bears mention that Altman is personally invested in a private company working on fusion.

By Zerohedge.com

Crime scene investigators could soon be using bacteria and fungi to solve complex murder cases.

Research has found that certain microbes are extremely reliable indicators for determining the precise time of death, because they appear at different stages of the decomposition process.

These microscopic clues – which reach bodies on the backs of insects – could help police investigators establish a timeline for the crime when other evidence is unavailable.

Professor David Carter from the Chaminade University of Honolulu, a co-researcher on the study, said: “When you’re talking about investigating death scenes, there are very few types of physical evidence you can guarantee will be present at every scene.

“You never know if there will be fingerprints, or bloodstains or camera footage. But the microbes will always be there.”

A research team led by scientists from the University of Colorado observed the decaying remains of 36 humans bodies for 21 days.

The team found that, regardless of climate or soil type, the same 20 microbes were present. These micro-organisms, including different and bacteria fungi, arrived like clockwork at certain points throughout the observation period.

“We see similar microbes arrive at similar times during decomposition, regardless of any number of outdoor variables you can think of,” said Jessica Metcalf, of the University of Colorado

Experts in the UK and the US suggested that microbes could one day become a new tool in the CSI armory.

“If further research confirms the findings, and if this form of analysis can be done rapidly and cost effectively, it would be a valuable additional tool for UK police investigations,” said Professor Ruth Morgan, director of the UCL Centre for the Forensic Sciences.

“Being able to establish a post-mortem interval has remained a really challenging issue in forensic science. The findings from this study are a really exciting development, particularly given the prevalence of microbes at these kinds of crime scenes.

“If we can get a more transparent and reproducible estimate of the time since death, that is really valuable intelligence that can help to narrow the time frame of interest, focus the lines of inquiry – and that increases the possibility of solving the case,” she said.

Nancy La Vigne, director of the National Institute of Justice in the US, which funded the research, added: “One of the principal questions of any death investigation is ‘when did this person die?’”

“This shows promising results for predicting time of death of human remains, aiding in identification of the decedent, determining potential suspects and confirmation or refutation of alibis.”

The study is published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

New Jersey Institute of Technology chemists have demonstrated a new lab-based method to detect traces of PFAS from food packaging material, water, and soil samples in just three minutes or less.

Researchers say their approach could significantly speed up efforts to study and address the bioaccumulation of PFAS in the environment.

Involves an Ionization Technique for Detection

It also includes more than $2 billion of EPA grant funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to conduct water quality testing and treatment for the emerging contaminants.

“There are thousands of different species of PFAS, but we’ve yet to understand the extent of their distribution in our environment because the current testing methods are costly and time-consuming, taking hours for sample preparation and analysis in some cases,” said Hao Chen, the study’s corresponding author and NJIT chemistry professor. “What our study demonstrates is a much faster, sensitive and versatile method that can monitor our drinking water, land and consumer products for contamination in minutes.”

Chen and colleagues say the new method — involving an ionization technique for analyzing the molecular composition of sample materials called paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) — is 10-100 times more sensitive than the current standard technique for PFAS testing, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

“PFAS can be ionized and rapidly detected by a high-resolution mass spectrometer, which gives a clear view of each PFAS species present and the degree of contamination down to a parts-per-trillion (ppt) level,” explained Chen. “For more complex matrices like soil, we’ve applied a related method called desalting paper spray mass spectrometry (DPS-MS) that washes away salts which normally suppress the ion signal of PFAS. Together, they greatly improve our ability to detect these compounds.”

Analysis Revealed Traces of 11 Different PFAS Molecules

“Our limit of detection for PFAS is roughly 1ppt. For context, this amount has been likened to a drop of water in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools,” added Md Tanim-Al Hassan, the paper’s first author and Ph.D. chemistry student at NJIT.

In tests, the team was able to detect PFAS in one minute or less by analyzing pieces of various food packaging materials directly. The test includes microwave popcorn paper, instant noodle boxes, as well as fry and burger packaging from two multinational fast food restaurant chains.

The analysis revealed traces of 11 different PFAS molecules, including common types that have been linked to increased cancer risk and immune system suppression, such PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid). In their water analysis, the team detected traces of PFOA in samples of local tap water in under two minutes, while finding no traces of PFAS in samples taken from the university’s filtered fountain water.

“The EPA has already proposed to establish maximum contamination levels (MCLs) for six PFAS in drinking water nationwide, and PFOA and PFOS are among them,” said Mengyan Li, study co-author and NJIT associate professor of environmental sciences. “This analytical method could facilitate more intensive screenings for toxic PFAS that may be needed under such a proposal to protect the safety of our water supply.”

May Also Advance the Study of Airborne PFAS

Using DPS-MS, the team also identified two species of PFAS from as little as 40mg of soil in under three minutes. Already, the team’s rapid detection method is being tested for use alongside cutting-edge techniques for remediating PFAS that are being developed at NJIT’s BioSMART Center.

“Remarkably, in our lab we were able to couple this analytical method to a novel degradation catalyst, which degrades 98.7% of PFAS in drinking water samples within three hours,” said Wunmi Sadik, study co-author and chair of NJIT’s Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. “This work may have a national impact, but the immediate effect will be felt in the Northeast area. Roughly 10% of 9.2 million New Jersians have high levels of perfluorooctanoic acid in their drinking water compared to the national average of 1.9%.”

Chen says the advance could also have a swift impact on the monitoring of consumer products, from cosmetics and medicine to fresh and processed foods. The team plans to demonstrate the method’s capabilities for air monitoring as well.

“Near term, this could be extremely useful for ensuring the safety of food products … it may allow farming produce to be more efficiently monitored for PFAS contamination for example,” explained Chen. “Our method may also advance the study of airborne PFAS in a similar way to what we’ve demonstrated in this study, which would further help us address this widespread environmental issue.”

Source: New Jersey Institute of Technology

 

Revolutionary Diamond Detection Method: Alrosa on the Brink of Groundbreaking Discoveries

Alrosa, (RUSSIA) the world's largest diamond mining company, is on the cusp of a groundbreaking discovery thanks to a new diamond detection method focusing on olivine. 

This innovative approach, developed by geologists from ETH Zurich and the University of Melbourne, has the potential to streamline the diamond detection process, ensuring its reliability and making it more cost-effective. With expectations of new ore body discoveries within the next two to three years, the future of the diamond industry looks brighter than ever.

Quadri Adejumo
12 Feb 2024 

Revolutionary Diamond Detection Method: Alrosa on the Brink of Groundbreaking Discoveries

In a world where the lure of diamonds continues to captivate, Alrosa, the leading diamond mining company, stands on the brink of a groundbreaking discovery. A novel method for detecting diamond deposits, developed by geologists from ETH Zurich and the University of Melbourne, has the potential to revolutionize the diamond mining industry. The discovery, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, promises to streamline the detection process and ensure its reliability.

The Link Between Olivine and Diamonds

The innovative approach focuses on establishing a connection between diamond occurrence and the mineral olivine. Olivine, a common mineral in Earth's mantle, plays a crucial role in the formation of kimberlite rock, the primary source of diamonds. By analyzing the iron-to-magnesium ratio in olivine, scientists can determine the diamond content of kimberlite rock with remarkable precision.

A Simplified Detection Method

The new method simplifies the process of detecting diamond deposits, making it a more efficient and cost-effective solution for the diamond mining industry. By estimating the diamond content in kimberlite rock through olivine analysis, geologists can better predict the presence of diamonds and prioritize areas for exploration.

Alrosa's Anticipated Diamond Discoveries

Alrosa, the world's largest diamond mining company, is optimistic about the potential of this new detection method. With its current reserves of raw diamonds at deep levels sufficient to develop deposits until 2060, Alrosa continues its quest for new deposits to ensure sustainable operations in the coming decades and maintain its average production volume.

Over the past five years, geologists have discovered over twenty kimberlite bodies, with appraisal work completed for eight of them. The company anticipates discovering new ore bodies or deposits within the next two to three years, with expectations for this year. The new detection method could accelerate this timeline and lead to even more significant discoveries.

As the demand for diamonds continues to grow, the development of new detection methods becomes increasingly vital. The collaboration between ETH Zurich, the University of Melbourne, and Alrosa demonstrates the power of innovation in propelling the diamond mining industry forward. With the potential for new diamond deposit discoveries by 2023, the future of the diamond industry shines brighter than ever.

Impossible for Panama's next government to ignore mining, says First Quantum CEO

Canadian miner holds out hope May elections will bring change in fortune for its besieged Cobre Panama mine

Author of the article:Naimul Karim
Published Feb 12, 2024 •

First Quantum Minerals' Cobre Panama is one of the world’s largest new copper mines to open in the past decade. 

The Panamanian government’s order to shut down Toronto-based First Quantum Minerals Ltd.‘s lucrative copper mine in December seemed like the final straw for the company, which has faced several issues in the Central American country in recent years.

Panama and First Quantum initially tussled over the terms of a new contract to run the mine. Although a deal was reached, thousands of protestors demonstrated against it on environmental grounds. The nation’s Supreme Court then intervened and annulled the deal, which led to the order to close the Cobre Panama mine, about 120 kilometres west of Panama City.

Two months on, however, things have taken a slightly positive turn for First Quantum, according to chief executive Tristan Pascall. The protests have cooled down and there may be a space opening up to discuss mining’s contribution to Panama’s economy as the country heads to an election in May.

“We see that some of the emotion (from the protests) has really dialled back,” he said. “There’s significant economic challenges emerging in the country … and we believe it’s impossible for the next government to ignore the contribution that a responsible mining sector can make.”

Cobre Panama is one of the world’s largest new copper mines to open in the past decade. It’s a key asset since the demand for metals such as copper and lithium has increased in recent years due to their importance in the world’s gradual energy shift away from fossil fuels.

The mine also plays a key role for the country’s economy since it accounts for about five per cent of Panama’s gross domestic product. In addition, Cobre Panama employs about 7,000 people, with another 33,000 individuals dependent on the mine indirectly, First Quantum said.

As the mine gets set to shut down — a process that may take several years — “there’s more questioning around the decision” regarding the impact the move could have on the country’s economy, Pascall said.

Panama’s former finance minister Dulcidio De La Guardia said the order to shut down the mine was “very unfortunate” and expects the country’s economy to be “significantly” hit.

“The expected growth rate for Panama this year is between one and two per cent,” he said. “In contrast, last year, Panama grew in excess of six per cent. We are going to see a significant slowdown because of the loss of the output of the mine.”

Joana Abrego, a legal manager at the Environmental Advocacy Center of Panama (CIAM), which protested against the mine, said there were concerns “for a potential reactivation of the mine” due to recent statements made by several presidential candidates. But she added there would be significant legal obstacles for First Quantum to reactivate the mine.

The CIAM has opposed mining in Panama for nearly two decades, but even though the protests against Cobre Panama are no longer active, Abrego said people expect the mine closure process to continue.

“(Metal mining) is environmentally and socially unviable in the country,” she said.

Pascall, however, said Cobre Panama has a net-zero environmental impact and that a lot of the anti-mining emotion was sparked because of fake news and misleading information, which he hopes to correct as the space for debate and discussions on the mine widens.

For example, he said there were rumours about how the company was taking water from the Panama Canal, which he said was “absolutely not the case.”

There were also allegations about the company clearing large swathes of forestry. Pascall said the company had cleared 3,000 hectares, but had a licence to clear 5,900 hectares. He said this was a very small percentage compared to the overall clearing of forests in Panama.

“By some sources, Panama has cleared 78,000 hectares of tropical rain forest since 2020,” he said, adding that First Quantum has already reforested 4,200 hectares and has committed to reforesting 11,175 hectares.

Despite the apparent change in mood, Pascall won’t indulge in speculation about whether this could lead to a possible restart of the mine. He didn’t provide a timeline either.

“Obviously, it’s up to the Panamanian people to decide that,” he said. “We are ready to be part of a long-term solution for the country.”

Currently, Pascall is more focused on the company’s preservation and safe management plan, which will address issues such as the fate of the mine’s employees, management of the mine to ensure there’s no environmental degradation and questions about who is going to foot the bill.

This entire process could cost between $15 and $20 million per month. The company met with Panamanian ministers and submitted a draft of the plan in mid-January. So far, Pascall said engagement with the government has been “constructive.”

First Quantum could also try to seek compensation through an international arbitrator, which would be legally binding. The company has publicly announced two arbitration processes, but even though Pascall said the company’s legal case is “extremely strong,” it wouldn’t be the company’s preferred route.

“We would rather get to a resolution with the government of Panama in a sensible fashion,” he said.

Still, the waiting process and the production shutdown are hurting First Quantum. Cobre Panama was responsible for nearly half of First Quantum’s revenue in 2023 and the company’s stock has been cut in half in the past five months.

As a result, the company is considering selling stakes of its larger businesses in Zambia and some of its smaller mines. Overall, the plan is to cut costs and strengthen its finances. But it’s still holding out hope for Cobre Panama.

“We are absolutely committed to Panama. We put $10 billion into the country,” Pascall said. “Ultimately, we will see resolutions. I am confident in that.”

Electra Receives $5 Million Grant from Government of Canada to Support the Development of the North American Electric Vehicle Supply Chain

Toronto, Ontario – (February 9, 2024) – Electra Battery Materials Corporation (NASDAQ: ELBM; TSX-V: ELBM) (“Electra” or the “Company”) today announced that it has received a $5 million investment from the Government of Canada towards the construction of North America’s first cobalt sulfate refinery. Located in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, the facility will produce approximately five percent of the global supply of battery grade cobalt needed for electric vehicles. The investment will be provided in the form of a grant from the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor).

“Canada has surpassed China as the top jurisdiction in the global battery supply chain, given its strength in raw materials mining and processing,” said Trent Mell, Electra’s CEO. “Today’s announcement from the Government of Canada’s demonstrates its continued commitment to building a strong, domestic EV supply chain. We are grateful for this additional investment as it represents added validation of our progress and will allow Electra to continue to work toward our goal of producing secure, clean, and ethically sourced materials that are a crucial part of a sustainable future for electric vehicles in Canada.”

“Critical minerals are an essential element of the electric vehicle supply chain. Today’s investment from the Government of Canada means that Northern Ontario will seize the economic opportunities created by Canada’s transition to a green economy. This investment also means good-paying jobs for middle-class families in the region. This is part of our plan to build an economy in Northern Ontario that works for everyone, not just the few,” said the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor regarding today’s announcement.

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources added, “Building up a low-carbon economy is a generational economic opportunity for Canada. Canada has vast critical mineral resources, materials that are integral to the development of the clean technologies, like electric vehicles, we need to reduce emissions and create good jobs. By supporting companies like Electra, Canada is making the smart investments necessary to secure reliable and prosperous electric vehicle value chains and drive sustainable economic growth in communities right across Canada.”

Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages, and Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming were on hand for the announcement.

“The Government of Canada is stepping up to support innovation and the green economy in Northern Ontario. This strategic investment will fuel economic growth, create jobs, and stimulate the regional economy,” said Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages.

Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming, said “The Government of Canada, through FedNor, is working hard to expand the electric vehicle supply chain right here in Northern Ontario. Today’s funding ensures that Northern Ontario’s mining sector will continue to play an important role in our transition to a clean and sustainable economy, and will promote a strong and thriving regional economy in Nipissing-Timiskaming.”

“This is an important announcement that shows the Government of Canada’s commitment to Northern Ontario. By investing in Electra, the Government of Canada is leveraging the unique expertise and innovation available right here in Northern Ontario and taking concrete steps to build a domestic supply chain for electric vehicles,” said Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury. “This is the type of investment that is needed to grow our economy and create a greener, more sustainable future.”

Pending completion, Electra’s refinery complex aims to be the first in North America to integrate the production of critical minerals, including cobalt sulfate and nickel sulfate, needed for the North American electric vehicle battery supply chain with the processing of black mass material, designed to recover high value elements found in recycled lithium-ion batteries, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, graphite, and copper.

Throughout 2023, Electra operated a plant scale battery recycling trial at its refinery complex, processing more than 40 tonnes of black mass material and producing high-quality nickel, cobalt and lithium products.

Once fully commissioned, the refinery could produce sufficient cobalt for up to 1.5 million electric vehicles annually. On July 24, 2023 Electra announced that its battery grade cobalt sulfate agreement with LG Energy Solution, a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, had been extended and expanded from initial terms. The agreement now provides for the supply of 19,000 tonnes of cobalt contained in sulfate beginning in 2025. The total will represent up to 80% of Electra’s expected annual production.

It is estimated that the refinery complex has a current replacement cost of over $250 million. The cobalt project has been derisked through the delivery of most long lead equipment and by commissioning the legacy refinery operations for the black mass demonstration plant.

About Electra Battery Materials

Electra is a processor of low-carbon, ethically sourced battery materials. Currently focused on developing North America’s only cobalt sulfate refinery and a black mass demonstration plant, Electra is executing a multipronged strategy to onshore the electric vehicle supply chain. Keys to its strategy are integrating black mass recycling and nickel sulfate production at Electra’s cobalt refinery located north of Toronto, advancing Iron Creek, its cobalt-copper exploration-stage project in the Idaho Cobalt Belt, and expanding cobalt sulfate processing into Bécancour, Quebec. For more information, please visit www.ElectraBMC.com.

Carbon capture tech a ‘complete falsehood’, says Fortescue chairman

Reuters | February 13, 2024 |

Andrew Forrest, Australian billionaire and Chief Executive Officer of Fortescue. (Credit: Fortescue Metals Group)

Carbon capture is not a solution for the energy transition and political leaders need to provide real, non-greenwashed, commitments to encourage investment, Andrew Forrest, executive chairman of Fortescue Metals, said on Tuesday.


Speaking at the 50th anniversary meeting of the International Energy Agency, Australian billionaire Forrest said the investment community needs a level-playing field and honest answers from political leaders on phasing out fossil fuels in order to invest.

“There’s a simple question from business leaders…when do we stop burning fossil fuels?” Forrest said at the Paris conference.

“If you want to drive capital…we must have clear and obvious disincentives for what is doing harm and clear incentives for what is doing good.”

Countries including the US have rolled out public subsidies for carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects as part of their incentives to push the green energy transition.

CCS technologies capture carbon dioxide emissions, often from a source like a factory smoke stack, to prevent them from being released into the atmosphere. The captured CO2 can then be stored permanently underground, or repurposed in industrial processes that use CO2.

Oil demand growth is not set to peak until the end of this decade at the earliest and Forrest said carbon capture was not a viable solution.

“We’re going to keep burning fossil fuels and somehow magically get rid of the carbon down into the ground where there is no proof that it will stay there, but heaps of proof that it fails,” Forrest told the conference.

“I say for policy makers everywhere do not be the next idiot waiting for the old lie to be trotted out and say I believe in carbon sequestration. It has only failed for 75 years…It’s a complete falsehood.”

Australia’s Fortescue is a major iron ore producer, which is used in steel-making and it announced a new project last year to produce green steel on a commercial scale. Iron and steel-making account for a major share of global heavy industry emissions, and its trade has become source of contention between the United States and the EU, which have so far failed to negotiate a “green steel” trade deal.

(By Julia Payne; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

Rio Tinto autonomous train derails in Western Australia

Cecilia Jamasmie | February 13, 2024 | 

Rio Tinto operates about 14,000 ore cars across its Pilbara rail network. (Image courtesy of Rio Tinto.)

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) said on Tuesday that an unloaded autonomous train derailed on Sunday evening about 120km (75m) from Western Australia’s Dampier port, where Rio Tinto ships iron ore through Cape Lambert.


The world’s largest iron ore miner said no one was injured in the accident, which involved about 38 wagons of the self-driving train.

It noted the derailment happened on a dual track section, which means that trains can continue to operate in the area, limiting disruption.

“An investigation has begun, and the appropriate regulators have been notified. Work to recover derailed wagons has also commenced,” a Rio Tinto spokesperson said in an email.

A similar incident occurred with an autonomous Rio Tinto train in June last year, when as many as 30 wagons left the tracks about 12 miles from Dampier.

Rio Tinto’s peers, BHP (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue (ASX: FMG) have also reported derailments at their iron ore operations in recent months.

The most infamous Pilbara train derailment took place in 2018 when BHP was forced to deliberately push a runaway train off its track. The machine was almost 2 miles long with its four locomotives and 268 wagons fully laden and, at one point, reached average speeds of about 110km/h (68m/h) on the track between Newman and Port Hedland.

The company operates about 14,000 ore cars across its Pilbara rail network, each of which can hold an estimated 118 tonnes of iron ore.