en.Wedoany.com Reported - Vancouver-based Canadian critical metals processing company pH7 Technologies has received $5 million CAD (approximately $3.5 million USD) in funding from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to validate its proprietary new copper extraction technology and advance its industrial application. The technology can directly convert low-grade chalcopyrite ore into 99.9% pure cathode copper at the mine site, while also producing green hydrogen as a byproduct.

The project will use ore samples from the Gibraltar copper mine in British Columbia, Canada, to conduct technology validation, focusing on verifying pH7's proprietary closed-loop copper extraction process. The validation work will proceed in phases, advancing engineering design and technology development to provide technical support for future demonstration applications and commercial deployment. This funding comes from NRCan's Energy Innovation Program, which aims to promote the development and application of energy decarbonization technologies.

Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Tim Hodgson, stated that Canada possesses abundant mineral resources, innovative technologies, and professional talent, positioning it as a key player in the global critical minerals supply chain. Such projects help enhance the resilience of the critical minerals supply chain, boost the competitiveness of Canada's mining industry, and drive resource development toward more efficient, low-carbon, and sustainable practices.