U of A researcher leads study revealing new insights into Earth’s carbon cycle
In a new study led by a University of Alberta PhD student, researchers used diamonds as breadcrumbs to provide insight into some of Earth’s deepest geologic mechanisms. “Geologists have recently come to the realization that some of the largest, most valuable diamonds are from the deepest portions of our planet,” said Margo Regier, a PhD…
Yellow diamonds with colourless cores provide insight into the origin of their pure-yellow counterparts
A new study by University of Alberta scientists could help guide the search for rare, high-value yellow diamonds in the Canadian North. The researchers, led by PhD student Mei Yan Lai, examined the chemical makeup of stones recovered from the Chidliak and Ekati mines in Northern Canada to get a better understanding of how they formed.…
In the post-COVID-19 era, government needs to invest in game-changing projects. Here are some good places to start
The clamour to reopen the economy has reached a crescendo in many parts of North America. But the global economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be far-reaching for years to come. Canadian historians list 1935 as the year the worst of the Great Depression was over. But the nation really didn’t begin to return…
The COVID-19 crisis has amplified the warning: dependence on Chinese products is a key vulnerability for Western nations
Many key pharmaceutical ingredients used in North America reportedly come from China or, in the case of generics, India. In turn, India imports key ingredients from China. So diverting imports from China to India might not reduce our dependence on Chinese manufacturers. In addition, China reserves the right to provide its citizens with vital drugs before…
Will support innovative and transformative technologies, processes and business models across sectors
BDC Capital, the investment arm of BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada), is launching the $250-million Industrial Innovation Venture Fund to invest in tech companies and entrepreneurs. In a news release on Tuesday, it said it is accelerating the transformation of core Canadian industries, including agriculture and food technologies, resource extraction technologies and advanced manufacturing.…
Lower tax rates, with more capital investment, are crucial to increasing productivity, wages and living standards – and boosting the loonie
Canadians’ standard of living isn’t growing as quickly as per capita gross domestic product (GDP). The reason: our dollar has been declining against the currency of our biggest trading partner, the United States. While some of that is because the U.S. dollar has risen against most currencies around the world, a lot of it is…
China's fight for cleaner air creates an unparalleled opportunity for investment in Canadian super clean iron ore
China’s war on air pollution will lead to a big win for the high-grade iron ores produced abundantly in Canada’s Labrador Trough region. Chinese President Xi Jinping is pushing to improve air quality. That has created an opportunity for Canadian iron ore projects to enter the market, offering an alternative to lower grade product that…
Exploration is the critical first stage in mining development. Yet many provinces don't meet their own guidelines
Every year, the Fraser Institute publishes a survey of senior mining company executives that assesses policy environments around the world and the mineral potential of jurisdictions. Those two components are used to create an investment attractiveness index. One thing miners repeatedly tell us is that they’re concerned about obtaining exploration permits: how long does it…
But the decline in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction continues
Canada’s economy expanded 0.3 per cent in January, fully offsetting the declines in November and December 2018, according to Statistics Canada. The rise was widespread as 18 of 20 industrial sectors were up, said the federal agency on Friday. On a three-month rolling average basis, real gross domestic product edged up 0.1 per cent, the…
Governments must address infrastructure deficiencies, protected area and land claim issues, and regulatory duplication
By Ashley Stedman and Elmira Aliakbari The Fraser Institute Mining investors are eyeing all three territories in Canada’s North, according to the Fraser Institute’s annual survey of mining companies. For the first time in more than five years, all three territories are among the top 15 most attractive regions for mining investment worldwide. But territorial…