Critical minerals list update supports fertilizer producers in Canada

Canada’s updated list of critical minerals

Canada’s federal government has published an updated list of critical minerals. Potassium-containing minerals remain on the list, in addition to phosphorus. These minerals are critical in the production of fertilizer, which also has implications for food procurement. Their inclusion on the list underscores their importance to agriculture and food security on a global scale. Indeed, Canadian farmers rely on imported phosphorus fertilizers, while more than 75 countries, including the US, depend on sustainably and ethically sourced Canadian potash. Placing phosphorus and potassium on the list of critical minerals will provide government support for investment, transportation and sourcing of these raw materials. The action was therefore met with enthusiasm by Fertilizer Canada, an organization that represents producers, manufacturers and distributors of nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and sulfur fertilizers in Canada.

What are critical raw materials?

Critical raw materials are those minerals, elements, substances or materials that are considered critical to energy technologies or supply chains, or economically important to the challenges and needs of today’s economy. An updated list of critical raw materials is promulgated annually by the governments of many countries, including Canada and the US, as well as the European Commission. The development of these lists also takes into account shortages of the raw materials in question, as well as deficits and risks on a global scale, especially when it comes to imported raw materials, reliable access to which is crucial for a country’s economy. In the European Union, there are currently 34 raw materials on the CRM (Critical Raw Materials) list; phosphorus is among them.