Providing in-kind support for R&D projects at Canada’s federal laboratories

Closed for applications

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is seeking opportunities to help advance the Canadian critical minerals industry by collaborating on R&D projects that are aligned with industry needs and supported by several of Canada’s federal research facilities.

Program details

Canada’s federal laboratories—CanmetMINING, CanmetMATERIALS, CanmetENERGY and the National Research Council of Canada—are providing R&D support, under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program. The focus of the program is on upstream and midstream projects at low to mid technology readiness levels (TRL) 2–5 with the capacity to:

• make significant positive impacts on the critical minerals industry in Canada
• help propel them into the pilot and demonstration (pre-commercialization) phase of development

To ensure relevancy and alignment between industry needs and federal R&D projects, we invite industry and academia to propose R&D projects that will address specific technical processing challenges in the development of critical minerals.

Applicants may use the following expression of interest (EOI) template to propose specific R&D projects to be undertaken by Canada’s federal research laboratories.

As this is a call for EOI, we may work with proponents to refine the proposals. This may include refining the scope to match the suitability of our expertise and facilities, and recommending partnerships with industry, academia, vendors and consortia working in a similar R&D space.

Support available: In-kind federal R&D support (no direct funding will be provided)

Expression of interest deadline: December 18, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. PST

Program timeframe: April 2024 to March 2027

Eligibility

Who can submit an EOI

• Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including:
• for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as, but not limited to companies, industry associations and research associations
• community groups
• Academic institutions
• Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments and their departments and agencies
• Indigenous groups:
• Indigenous communities or governments
• Tribal Councils or entities that fulfill a similar function (e.g., general council)
• National and regional Indigenous councils and tribal organizations
• Indigenous (majority-owned and controlled by Indigenous Peoples) for-profit and not-for-profit organizations
• Members of Indigenous groups with community knowledge, Indigenous traditional knowledge or input relevant to the policy dialogue

What projects are eligible

We are looking for upstream and/or midstream R&D (TRL 2–5) projects with well‑defined technical challenges in the processing of critical minerals, and projects with research goals that can be achieved within the duration of this program (April 2024 to March 2027).

For the purposes of this program, the scope of projects can start immediately following primary crushing and continue through the processing cycle and intermediate material production, such as individual anode/cathode precursors or master alloys (before final component manufacturing). Projects that are related to the recovery from secondary sources include mine and processing waste (e.g., tailings) and recycling of post-consumer waste are also eligible.

Note: As this is an EOI, specific details on how the R&D project is to be executed are not necessary at this stage. For successful proposals, NRCan will work with the applicant to refine the proposal. This may include refining the scope to match the suitability of our expertise and facilities, and recommending partnerships with industry, academia, vendors and consortiums working in a similar R&D space.

How to submit your expression of interest

Closed for applications

This second wave of federal R&D funding offers applicants the opportunity to submit project proposals for in-kind federal R&D support through our EOI template.

Expression of interest template

Download and complete the EOI PDF form linked above and submit your complete form via email at criticalmineralsrdd-minerauxcritiquesrdd@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

Only complete applications will be reviewed by the program. Applications must meet all eligibility criteria to be considered.

Next steps

The program has a two-phase application and selection process that will run between December 2023 and February 2024:

Phase 1 — Canada’s federal laboratories will select the projects that are most aligned with federal research capabilities and goals.

Phase 2 — NRCan will work with the applicant to refine the proposal as needed and proceed with final selection.

Contact us

For further guidance, email criticalmineralsrdd-minerauxcritiquesrdd@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.