Nickel Mining in Ontario, Canada
An overview of socioenvironmental governance in the sector
This case study is part of a broader project focused on strengthening supply chain resilience through analysis of the environmental and associated social impacts of critical minerals using case studies of nickel, lithium, and copper. It describes environmental and associated social issues from nickel mining and processing in Ontario, Canada, and examines policy measures for managing them.
Key Findings
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Ontario has a comprehensive regulatory framework and benefits from a history of collaborative restoration programs to address the environmental and social impacts of nickel sulfide mining.
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While nickel sulfide mining typically has a smaller environmental footprint than nickel laterite mining, key issues can pose a risk to downstream waterbodies, aquatic ecosystems, and culturally important harvesting areas, resulting in the need for careful management and long-term monitoring.
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Given the heightened importance of critical minerals, including nickel, good practices such as the use of regional assessments can help identify potential cumulative effects in a given region where such major projects are likely to be developed.
Canada holds the world’s eighth-largest nickel reserves, estimated to be 2.2 million tonnes, or approximately 2% of global reserves. In 2024, Canada produced 125,364 tonnes of nickel, making it the fourth-largest global producer.
In Canada, mining legislation is primarily developed and administered at the provincial level, resulting in variation across provinces. This case study focuses on Ontario because it is Canada’s largest provincial nickel producer, accounting for almost 40% of national nickel production.
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