Originally published in Top 10 Projects
Roughly 500-kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, or about 1,000-kilometres north of Toronto, lies Canada’s largest known source of untapped mineral wealth. Rich in chromite, copper, nickel, gold and zinc, Ontario’s “Ring of Fire” stretches across an area larger than 5,000 square kilometres. Deposits of palladium, platinum and vanadium are also present. These materials are critical inputs to just about every facet of our modern lifestyle, from the stainless steel in our cars to the electronics of our smartphones.
This ecologically sensitive land traverses the traditional territory of several Indigenous communities and should only be accessed in true partnership, consultation and shared prosperity. A key challenge for all involved is the area’s remoteness to existing transportation infrastructure.
Scratch that: Feds to rethink Ring of Fire environmental assessment after First Nations criticism
‘There is no access to critical minerals in Canada without Indigenous Peoples being at the table in a decision-making position,’ Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said
The power of peat: Canada’s secret weapon against climate change
Scientists call them Canada’s Amazon Rainforest, and they could be at risk. Peatlands are ancient ecosystems that cool the planet by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, trapping it deep underground. A quarter of peatlands on Earth are found here in Canada, but some are under threat from potential mining developments aimed at creating technology for a greener future.
There will be no environmental shortcuts taken in the Ring of Fire, says federal minister
Facing down governments and industry, this First Nation makes a promise: There’ll be no development in the Ring of Fire without its consent