Clean Air Metals Inc. was approved for up to $200,000 in provincial funding on March 26, 2026, to expand its mining exploration project located 40 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. This investment is part of a larger provincial effort to support early-stage mining projects that search for minerals used in modern technology.
The money comes from the Ontario Junior Exploration Program and will be used to explore a specific 2.5-kilometre-long area known as the Escape target. The company recently found a 53-metre stretch of rock containing resource-grade minerals in this area, suggesting there may be a significant amount of valuable material underground.
The Thunder Bay North project is currently estimated to hold 14.9 million tonnes of minerals, including approximately 1.39 million ounces of platinum and palladium, along with copper and nickel. Due to a significant increase in metal prices since late 2025, the project’s estimated pre-tax net present value has grown to approximately $708 million.
To help process these materials locally, the company is updating its plans to build its own processing mill near the site. This facility would allow the company to turn raw rocks into usable metal right in the region rather than shipping them elsewhere for processing.
The project is located on land within the Robinson-Superior Treaty of 1850 territory. The company has established working agreements with the Fort William First Nation, Red Rock Indian Band, Biinjitiwabik Zaaging Anishinabek, and Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek to ensure the project moves forward in cooperation with local communities.
