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In what’s being described as the largest funding announcement in Laurentian University’s history, officials Tuesday will unveil Metal Earth.
Local MPs Paul Lefebvre and Marc Serré are to be on hand for the announcement in the auditorium of the Willet Green Miller Centre.
Earlier, Laurentian announced it had received “positive news” in mid-July on the status of its Metal Earth minerals research and development proposal that was submitted by the federal Department of Earth Sciences and its Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC) to the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) in late March.
Laurentian was informed that of the 30 proposals invited and received, 15 were shortlisted and Metal Earth was on the list.
Metal Earth is a proposed seven-year research and development program run through Laurentian’s geoscience department.
Some provincial funding of $5 million for Metal Earth on June 29 was the tip of larger $107.7-million research endeavour. It cashed the project up to $55.2 million with $52.5 million to be raised.
The final amount has been requested from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, and university researchers expected to know the results by late August.
The interview with the CFREF Selection Board was to have taken place in Toronto in mid-July.
Metal Earth examines how minerals have been distributed in the crust throughout time and space and the reasons behind different areas to improve the understanding and prediction of valuable deposits.
A consortium will involve Canadian researchers, national and international allied research centres, government and industry. It is focused on delivering usable data and products like software to government and industry.
Agencies/Canadajournal
