By Sue Paish, DIGITAL CEO
Mining is foundational to Canada’s economic success, improved productivity and building the economy we need. From the Elk Valley to Smithers in British Columbia, to K3 in Saskatchewan, to the Ring of Fire in Ontario: mining will continue to shape our communities, drive economic growth, provide thousands of well-paying jobs and support Canadian businesses.
Canada can and must be a world leader in mining, and we have everything we need to do it. We have the abundance of minerals, from potash and copper to critical minerals essential to the energy transition, while getting them to market through cost-effective and environmentally responsible practices. A critical element of Canada’s march to harness the benefits of our resources is innovation. Digital technologies that are made in Canada are increasing geological certainty, reducing cost and risk, saving time and minimizing environmental impact.
DIGITAL and our Member companies have developed technologies that can catapult Canada to be both a world leader in mining innovation and in responsible practices. Companies like nPhyla are revolutionizing mine remediation with AI-enabled DNA technology leveraging naturally occurring organisms and biomining techniques. Ideon Technologies is pioneering subsurface intelligence with cosmic-ray muon tomography, helping mining companies identify and map mineral deposits deep into the earth without the cost and environmental disruption of traditional methods. Novamera is leading the way in surgical mining, enabling precise extraction of narrow vein deposits with minimal environmental footprint. These technologies are driving efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability from exploration, extraction and remediation.
The growing global demand for critical minerals and metals presents a generational opportunity for Canada. Canada is uniquely positioned to lead in these areas like never before. A unified, national commitment to action, investment, innovation adoption and sustainability can set the stage for Canada to be a serious world leader in meeting domestic and global demand for resources essential to functioning economies and to the global energy transition.
Canada’s global mining success and reputation has long relied on partnerships and collaboration between government, First Nations, industry and communities. By working together, we ensure the benefits of mining are shared effectively and that our practices reflect the highest standards of environmental and social governance. The partnerships forged through DIGITAL’s collaborative innovation model includes industry leaders, local communities and Indigenous partners, as well as putting academic research to work to drive sustainable growth and innovation across the sector.
As we celebrate Mining Month 2025, let’s recognize and celebrate the incredible accomplishments across our mining and technology sectors, and the pivotal role their shared strengths play, and can continue to play, in our national prosperity. Together, we can harness the power of innovation to create a sustainable and thriving future for Canada. A future that is filled with more made-in-Canada innovators like nPhyla, Ideon and Novamera as testaments to the transformative power of digital technologies in traditional industries.
Together, the spirit of innovation will be what drives our country forward.
Happy Mining Month!