Media coverage
Capitalizing on critical minerals: Ian Mitchell discusses investment barriers and solutions on BNN Bloomberg
Ian Mitchell, co-leader of Gowling WLG’s global Mining Group, recently appeared on BNN Bloomberg to discuss the evolving risk landscape – for miners and investors alike – surrounding Canada’s critical minerals sector.
Speaking with Commodities host Andrew Bell, Ian underscored the sector’s need for substantial capital investment as Canada continues an ambitious program of electrification and decarbonization. Long and complex permitting processes, price risk, global competition and other logistical headwinds, however, has made this a challenging proposition for investors.
Highlighting the limited risk capital availability in Canada, Ian emphasized that Ottawa must seek more innovative strategies to attract risk capital. “Critical minerals are a policy platform for the government, so they need to get a little more creative in how they get the risk capital back in.”
By way of example, he noted that it had been reported that the US Department of Energy was exploring using price floors for key commodity projects to help mitigate investors’ exposure to unpredictable swings in commodity prices.
Watch the full interview at the link below:
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