Scandium Canada Ltd. has secured federal government support of up to $6.9 million for its Crater Lake scandium and rare earth elements project in Quebec and its proprietary aluminum-scandium alloys. The non-refundable contribution agreement under Natural Resources Canada's Global Partnerships Initiative represents 69% of project costs and will fund scaling up patent-pending processes for beneficiation, extraction, and purification of scandium and rare earth elements.
The funding announcement at PDAC 2026 marks a significant development for Canada's leadership in critical minerals through the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson emphasized that "Canada and our partners are putting real capital behind the secure and sustainable critical mineral supply chains that our economies and defence industries rely on." The support enables Scandium Canada to progress to FEL-3 engineering standards while completing detailed design and specifications.
This federal investment unlocks immediate value through the company's Scandium+ division and international partnerships. The collaboration with Gränges Powder Metallurgy advances integration of proprietary scandium-modified AA535 and AA7075 alloys into global aluminum product offerings without waiting for full mine production. As a global supplier of spray-formed aluminum products and aluminum powders for additive manufacturing, GPM brings this technological breakthrough in high-performance, scandium-enhanced alloys to the world stage.
Additional partnerships extend Canadian scientific expertise into international mining operations, particularly in recovering scandium from polymetallic deposits where separation from co-occurring nickel and cobalt mineralization presents significant technical challenges. A third strategic partnership focuses on building resilient, non-Chinese supply chains for critical minerals, laying groundwork for deeper collaboration as the Crater Lake project matures.
CEO Guy Bourassa stated that NRCan's support "provides non-dilutive funding through 2028, allowing our team to focus entirely on execution" while accelerating development of what is positioned as North America's largest primary source of scandium. The project includes applied research with end users to optimize aluminum-scandium alloy products amenable to 3D printing and advanced manufacturing.
The Global Partnerships Initiative program aims to strengthen domestic supply chains and advance Canada's position as a reliable supplier of critical minerals to global markets, particularly to allied nations seeking to reduce dependency on foreign sources. This development comes as industries increasingly demand lighter, greener, longer-lasting, high-performance materials for defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing applications.
For additional information about the company's regulatory filings, readers can visit www.sedarplus.ca. The company maintains its corporate website at www.scandium-canada.com.
