Canada to help fund germanium, gallium, antimony production capacity boost at Teck’s Trail operations
Teck Resources, Canada Growth Fund Inc and Natural Resources Canada’s Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator have announced that they have signed a Strategic Investment Agreement to support expanding production capacity for germanium, gallium and antimony at Teck’s Trail Operations smelting and refining complex in British Columbia.
Trail is one of the world’s largest fully integrated polymetallic smelting and refining complexes, according to Teck, producing 19 products with a long history of critical minerals production.
The agreement establishes the commercial framework for an equity-like investment by CGF of up to C$400 million ($282 million) directly into the facility, as part of an up to C$850 million potential total investment by Teck to sustain and enhance critical minerals processing capacity at Trail Operations from a portfolio of feed sources. The agreement also provides for the establishment of an offtake structure with the Government of Canada, including offtake rights for a portion of future germanium, antimony and gallium produced by Trail, that will build on Canada’s position as a reliable critical minerals supplier to global partners.
The pact reflects the intent of both parties to work towards an investment by CGF to unlock the advancement of Trail’s Strategic Metals Initiative, that could double Trail’s existing production capacity for germanium and antimony, and potentially add new gallium production capacity. The arrangements between Teck and the Government of Canada would also constitute the inaugural transaction under Canada’s newly launched Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator, which is an initiative of NRCan, managed by Export Development Canada (EDC).
The Province of British Columbia has also named the Trail Strategic Metals Initiative as one of 18 priority resource projects and is working with Teck on opportunities to further support the initiative’s advancement.
The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said: “Canada has what the world wants, and we are moving decisively to catalyse private investments, secure our supply chains and get projects built faster so we can provide for ourselves and our global partners. Our new Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator is about turning Canadian resource abundance into real projects by giving industry the certainty they need to invest and grow, even in a volatile global market. By working with companies like Teck and partnering with Canada Growth Fund and Export Development Canada, we are using every tool in our toolbox to build Canada Strong.”
Jonathan Price, President and CEO of Teck (pictured in the centre), said: “Teck’s Trail Operations is a cornerstone of North America’s critical minerals ecosystem. Collaboration with CGF and the Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator will help advance the opportunity we have to quickly and significantly increase production capacity for key strategic metals and help strengthen secure, responsible supply chains. By leveraging Trail’s existing infrastructure and expertise, this initiative has the potential to deliver new supply of strategic metals while providing strong returns for Teck shareholders.”
CGF is a C$15 billion arm’s-length investment vehicle designed to attract private capital to build Canada’s clean economy. It uses investment instruments that absorb certain risks to catalyze private investment in low-carbon projects, technologies, businesses and supply chains.
The $2 billion Canada Critical Minerals Accelerator – formerly the Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund – was introduced by the Government of Canada in Budget 2025 to make strategic investments in critical mineral projects and companies through equity investments, debt instruments and offtake contracts. It is an NRCan initiative that will be managed by EDC in close collaboration with NRCan.
The post Canada to help fund germanium, gallium, antimony production capacity boost at Teck’s Trail operations appeared first on International Mining.