One of the largest known aluminum deposits on Earth has been uncovered near Tisdale, with a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) confirming that the deposit, called the Thor Project, contains over 6.8 billion tonnes of alumina with an inferred resource of of 86.6 billion tonnes.

Chris Hopkins, the President and CEO of Canadian Energy Metals, says the Thor Project is contained within a small area of land.

“That is held within a project area that is about 16 miles by 16 miles, that size would find inside the metropolitan area of Edmonton, for example. Now 6.8 billion tons equates to about a third of the known world supply of alumina, and that’s held within that postage stamp.”

Along with the large amount contained within the deposit, Hopkins adds that the process that can be used to turn this particular alumina into aluminum is the most green method possible.

“In Canada, we are known for having a green aluminum supply, and that’s true. We use hydroelectric power to smelt the alumina into aluminum and that’s a green element. But no alumina is green, and this would be the greenest of the green.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the Thor Project could make aluminum one of Saskatchewan’s main exports.

“I’m excited about all that’s happening in the province, but I’m particularly excited about this. To answer and clarify an earlier question, do I think this has the realm to be in that scope of discussion like uranium and potash coming from Saskatchewan? Yes I do.”

CEM says that if the deposit is developed and commercialized, the Thor Project could create an entirely new processing and value added industry for Saskatchewan and North America.