Get financial support for your project that will help advance the development of products, processes, and technologies to the pre-commercialization phase of critical mineral mining.

Financing terms and conditions

The Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program supports the development of processing technologies through a structured funding approach. Two streams of funding provide financial assistance for projects at different stages of technological advancement.

Federal research and development (R&D) projects funded through federal research laboratories, with allocations made as funding becomes available.
Contribution funding for pilot plant and demonstration projects to validate processing technologies.
Allocations made in phases, with recent funding up to $40 million for midstream projects at technology readiness levels 6-8.
Plans for new or improved technologies at technology readiness levels 2-5 for upstream and midstream projects.
Funding structured to align federal R&D with industry needs through expressions of interest and collaborative efforts with academia and industry.

Activities funded

Continuous pilot campaigns for bioleaching processes to recover nickel, cobalt, and copper from pyrrhotite tailings.
Demonstration of a hydrometallurgical process for recycling black mass on a continuous production basis.
Pilot upgrading of La Loutre graphite to meet high purity levels for battery anodes.
Optimization and validation of a hydrometallurgical process for high-purity cobalt sulfate production.
Commercial demonstration of the RapidSX™ rare earth element separation technology.
Exploration and optimization of processing nickel concentrate into battery intermediates.
Separation of dysprosium and terbium oxide using a solvent extraction process.
Demonstration of producing high-purity nickel, cobalt, and copper for zero-emission vehicle batteries.
Sustainability demonstration of recycling rare earth elements from magnet scrap.
Construction and operation of a direct lithium extraction pilot plant from brine.
Evaluation of integrating MHP into Sherritt’s Fort Saskatchewan Metals Refinery for efficient high-purity nickel and cobalt production.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 55,000

Evaluate the feasibility of the Dumont Nickel Concentrate process

$ 50,000

Upgrade La Loutre graphite using advanced purification techniques

$ 35,000

Pilot bioleaching process for recovery of battery metals from pyrrhotite tailings

$ 100,000

Demonstrate RapidSX™ commercialization plant

$ 40,000

Pilot a cobalt sulphate process

$ 70,000

Implement black mass recycling project to recover valuable metals from e-waste

Eligibility

No eligibility criteria are mentioned for this grant.

Eligible expenses

There are eligible expenses for this grant. The expenses include:

Travel costs related to the project
Materials and supplies for project implementation
Consultation fees for expert advice

Eligible geographic areas

This grant supports projects located across various provinces and territories in Canada. It is aimed at advancing commercial readiness in critical mineral processing technologies nationwide.

Sudbury, Ontario
Cobalt, Ontario and Temiskaming Shores, Ontario
Lac-des-Plages, Quebec
Northwest Territories
Kingston, Ontario
Amos, Quebec
Saskatchewan
British Columbia
Saint-Hubert and Longueuil, Quebec
Calgary, Alberta
Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta

How to apply

Additional information

The Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program (CMRDD) focuses on advancing Canadian mining projects and developing domestic critical minerals value chains. It involves two funding streams, with projects aimed at various stages of mineral processing technologies being reviewed and funded.

The CMRDD is providing $192.1 million in federal funding.
Funding streams include federal R&D projects and contribution funding for pilot and demonstration projects.
Federal R&D projects are aligned with industry needs and supported by Canada's federal research facilities.
Contribution funding supports midstream projects at technology readiness levels 6–8.
The program aims to propel projects into the pilot and demonstration phase of development.

Documents and links

Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program

Apply to this program

Frequently Asked Questions about the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program Program

Here are answers to the most common questions about the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.

What is the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program?

How much funding can be received?

What expenses are eligible under Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program?

The Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program prioritizes projects that innovate in the processing technologies for critical minerals. This includes advancing the commercial readiness of mineral processing operations and technologies. Continuous pilot campaigns for bioleaching processes to recover nickel, cobalt, and copper from pyrrhotite tailings. Demonstration of a hydrometallurgical process for recycling black mass on a continuous production basis. Pilot upgrading of La Loutre graphite to meet high purity levels for battery anodes. Optimization and validation of a hydrometallurgical process for high-purity cobalt sulfate production. Commercial demonstration of the RapidSX™ rare earth element separation technology. Exploration and optimization of processing nickel concentrate into battery intermediates. Separation of dysprosium and terbium oxide using a solvent extraction process. Demonstration of producing high-purity nickel, cobalt, and copper for zero-emission vehicle batteries. Sustainability demonstration of recycling rare earth elements from magnet scrap. Construction and operation of a direct lithium extraction pilot plant from brine. Evaluation of integrating MHP into Sherritt’s Fort Saskatchewan Metals Refinery for efficient high-purity nickel and cobalt production.