A STFX University professor is looking into critical mineral deposits in Nova Scotia.
Dr. Celeste Cunningham (St. FX University photo)
Earth and Environmental Sciences professor Dr. Celeste Cunningham is the lead researcher looking into whether Nova Scotia has any economically viable or signifigant deposits of critical minerals which could then be tapped into for the development of a regional-provincial supply chain. Those minerals nickel, cobalt, zinc, copper, and manganese.
A release from STFX states Cunningham’s research focuses on two main sources: former coal mines and ancient seabeds exposed on land. In the coal mine study, she’s investigating whether mineral-rich mine waste could be repurposed in a more sustainable way. In the seabed project, she’s exploring whether ancient seabeds contain the same mineral deposits as modern ocean floors—without the environmental disruption of seabed mining.
The work began in 2023, and Cunningham has since identified critical minerals in these seabeds. She is expanding the project with funding from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Research Nova Scotia.
Study sites include Sydney, New Glasgow, Liscomb, and Bridgewater. Cunningham called it an ongoing project, with this being phase 1 of a multi-phase project.