Recherche et développement dans le secteur des minéraux

Canada has the potential for good long-term development of its mineral resources, and needs to maintain a competitive position for crude minerals in export markets. Therefore, Canada should strongly support the mineral exploration and mining sectors. This conclusion is reinforced by the finding that most of the other countries in this study, which represent much of the world's mining technology and mining education expertise, are in or are approaching the decline phase of their mining industries' life cycles. They are also dependent on imported crude minerals, and are turning their R&D focus away from primary resources towards substitution and efficiency in the use of raw materials. This pattern of R&D focus is not appropriate for Canada, although it is in fact being followed. Canada should stress R&D in extractive metallurgy with a special emphasis on environmental and health aspects and on conservation of energy. This can give Canada a comparative advantage in smelting and refining over the United States and Western Europe, where the cost pressures resulting from dependence on raw materials and energy and from environmental controls make such R&D investments relatively unattractive. Canada should make special efforts to compensate for and reduce the negative effects of the prevalent separation of scientists and engineers from management and formulators of public policy. These three initiatives, if adopted, should help Canada to realize the benefits of its mineral endowment, to keep its mineral sector viable for the long term, to take advantage of opportunities arising from the decline of the primary mineral sectors in other countries, and to avoid being le ft potential. behind by newly emerging countries with mineral The views expressed in this report and in the background study are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Centre for Resource Studies and its sponsors, or of The Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET).