March 7, 2023, Toronto, Ontario – Vale Energy Transition Metals, a leading global supplier of nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals, announced today it is teaming up with the University of Toronto in a first-of-its-kind partnership to power sustainable mining solutions and foster Canadian skills and talent.

The partnership, announced during the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2023 Convention, brings together two Canadian leaders to drive innovation, build resilient communities and accelerate the next generation of sustainable critical mineral projects.

Building on Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy launched last year, Vale will contribute an initial C$1.6 million over three years to the University, with a focus on decarbonization and the energy transition economy. The partnership will include sponsored research projects, training, professional development and community engagement mechanisms.

“This multiyear, strategic partnership is an important catalyst to accelerate and expand our portfolio of decarbonization efforts and circular mining knowledge,” said Deshnee Naidoo, Executive Vice President of Vale Energy Transition Metals.

“For Vale, it means working in close co-operation with leading minds and researchers across a global network to drive innovation, expand the skills of our people and provide new ways to link to the communities where we operate,” Naidoo said.

An initial project will focus on improving commercial recovery of low-grade nickel-containing ultramafic ores, including around Thompson, Manitoba where Vale has significant operations.

“As our economy continues its transition toward carbon-free sources of energy, the supply of critical minerals — such as nickel and cobalt, among many others — will only become more important,” said Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research & Innovation, & Strategic Initiatives at the University of Toronto.

“Through this new partnership, we are keeping Canada at the forefront of innovation, and further strengthening our position as a trusted global supplier of sustainably sourced critical minerals.”

Ontario Minister of Mines George Pirie, said, “We have the greatest mining companies in the world operating in Ontario and Vale is another example of a company that is leading when it comes to critical minerals research and development. As our government works to secure the supply chain for Ontario, we need industry to step up with new initiatives and that is exactly what Vale is doing.”

Contacts:

Vale Communications

Jeffrey Lewis

Jeffrey.lewis@vale.com

University of Toronto

Rachel Wallace

Director, Strategy and Development

r.wallace@utoronto.ca

Vale Energy Transition Metals is one of the world's largest producers of high-quality nickel and an important producer of copper and responsibly sourced cobalt. With headquarters in Toronto, Canada, and operations in Newfoundland & Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Indonesia and Brazil, the business delivers critical building blocks for a cleaner, greener future. 

Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada’s top university with a long history of challenging the impossible and transforming society through the ingenuity and resolve of its faculty, students, alumni and supporters. One of the world’s top research-intensive universities, U of T brings together top minds from every conceivable background and discipline to collaborate on the world’s most pressing challenges, and prepares students for success through an outstanding global education rooted in excellence, inclusion and close-knit learning communities. Together, the U of T community continues to defy gravity by taking on what might seem unattainable today and generating the ideas and talent needed to build a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous future.