Critical minerals are needed more than ever, and they will play an essential role in decarbonizing the global economy and will contribute to meeting Canada’s goal of Net-Zero by 2050.

Zinc is fundamental to the green economy as it is used to galvanize iron and steel to protect against corrosion, adding longevity to infrastructure and construction materials that would otherwise deteriorate and need to be rebuilt. Concrete infrastructure contributes 8% of global greenhouse gases annually.

Lead supports the clean energy transition as a component of wind generation and increases solar panel longevity, according to the World Bank. Most importantly, it allows for easier recovery of other vital metals when recycling electronic waste.