Nova Scotia’s department of natural resources has granted mineral exploratory licences for three lithium projects in the Yarmouth and Digby counties in the province. The Mining Association of Nova Scotia has hailed the move. The granting of licences comes after much-publicized recent comments by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston stating a willingness and necessity to explore new areas of resource development, including mining.
Sean Kirby, executive director of the provincial mining association, commented, “Nova Scotia has tremendous potential to provide the critical minerals needed to achieve climate goals, including lithium. We are excited about several lithium projects in southern Nova Scotia and exploration taking place elsewhere in the province and look forward to contributing to global supply of this key battery metal.”
Kirby added, “The global rush to source critical minerals creates an extraordinary economic opportunity for places like Nova Scotia that have the potential to provide them. The province can contribute to global supply while also generating jobs and government revenues to help pay for programs like health and education.”
Champlain Mineral Ventures will be exploring the Brazil Lake lithium pegmatite deposit. The project is in southern Nova Scotia, about 25 km northeast of the township of Yarmouth. The project is within a km of the power grid and features paved highways on both sides.
John Wightman, managing director of the Goldfields Group of Companies involved in the project, said, “Developing a mine from our current stage typically takes around four years. Our next key step is to complete a preliminary economic assessment (PEA), also known as aa scoping study, once the sample analysis from Lakefield is complete.”
He added, “We are confident the results will be result. If so, our Australian partners, Lithium Springs, plan to list in Australia and raise the necessary funds to profess towards a bankable feasibility study.”
Wightman clarified that the Brazil Lake lithium project involves an exploration claim covering four square kilometres and the drilling itself is much more concentrated. At this point, he said, the company hags only drilled about 5% of the property. The project would start as an open pit mine and would transition to an underground mine.
The provincial ministry also granted a licence for the Chebogue project and Anchor project in southwestern Nova Scotia. The Chebogue project involves 1,200 sq.km, between Yarmouth and Digby counties. Continental Lithium is pursuing this project. Provincial media outlets in early February began reporting on a political development where the natural resources minister had executed a clause in the Section 26 of the province’s Mineral Resources Act that seemed to apply specifically to the Chebogue project. The clause allows the minister to grant access to private lands under certain conditions. In the Chebogue case, there existed an ongoing land dispute between the company and a foreign firm that owned the private land.
The area had been subject to a regional review in 2016 where the government identified several areas containing lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Finally, Greenridge – a Canadian company – is pursuing the Anchor lithium project. The project consists of licences totalling about 2,810 ha.
Rudee Gaudet, a spokesperson for the province’s natural resources department, commented to the Tri-County Vanguard, “We have promising exploration taking place that is driven by global lithium demand which is expected to support the green energy transition. This is an opportunity to create good paying jobs and use our natural resources to benefit all Nova Scotians.”
Gaudett specified that all mining activity in the province will be done “responsibility and sustainably.” In Nova Scotia – as in most other provinces and territories in Canada – the Crown owns all minerals. Gaudett also said before any exploration can take place, a company must obtain an exploration licence and all other required permits.
The Mining Association of Nova Scotia, however, has cautioned the government that approvals and permitting need to move faster if the province wants successful mining projects.
Kirby, head of the association, said, “The Government of Nova Scotia should do everything it can to help the province’s mining industry find and develop critical mineral deposits. It should cut red tape, remove policy obstacles and work with the industry to support both economic and climate goals. The Government’s recent commitment to repeal the province’s uranium ban is an important first step.”
“There is a growing global consensus that permitting needs to be reformed to help the mining industry provide the huge quantities of minerals that are needed to achieve climate goals. According to the International Energy Agency, it takes, on average, 17 years to get from mineral deposit discovery to actual mining – too slow to meet climate goal timelines.”
Kirby specified that while Nova Scotia needs to cut red tape in its permitting process, it should still ensure that projects meet the highest environmental standards.
He added, “The rules need to be clear and consistently applied, and the process needs to adhere to reasonable timelines, so we can create more jobs and grow the industry.”
According to data from the Mining Association of Nova Scotia, the province’s mining and quarrying industry employs over 3000 people and is the province’s highest-paying resource industry with average total compensation (wages and benefits) of $102,000 per year.
More information is posted on www.GreenfieldsNS.com and www.ManhattanCorp.com.au/Projects/Chebogue and www.Greenridge-Exploration.com/Anchor-lithium. Information about the Mining Association of Nova Scotia is available at www.Tmans.ca.
March 4, 2025
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