There are fourteen minerals and metals which investors of means could explore in Canada. These include Aluminium, Coal, Copper, Diamonds, Lithium, Iron Ore, Graphite, Gold, Nickel, Platinum, Potash, Rare Earth Elements, Uranium and zinc.
In this article, we would discuss Aluminium.
Canada is one of the largest primary aluminum producers in the world. Others are China, India and Russia.
Canadian aluminum has the lowest carbon footprint when compared to aluminum from other world large producers because of the use of the latest generation of technologies and hydroelectricity in production.
Several tons of aluminum continued to be produced every year in Canada
The question is how is aluminum produced? Where in Canada is it produced? And how can investors explore it?
Please note that aluminum does not exist in nature in a pure form or state anywhere in the world. It is produced from bauxite ore, from which we have hydrated aluminum oxide (About 40% to 60%) mixed with silica and iron oxide respectively.
If an investor is interested in getting 1 tonne of aluminum, then 2 tonnes of alumina from 4-5 tonnes of bauxite is required.
In Canada, no bauxite is mined, rather it is imported. Possible places to import from are Australia, China, Brazil, India, Guinea, Nigeria etc. Note that Australia and Guinea have the largest bauxite reserve in the world.
However, aluminum production is associated with only two provinces in Canada. They are British Columbia and Quebec.
There is only one place in British Columbia for aluminum production and that is Kitimat, where there is one aluminum smelter.
In Quebec, there are nine aluminum smelters and one alumina refinery which is at Jonquière.
