PEO Grand River Chapter Technical Webinar 1

Grand River Chapter welcomes you to our first 2026 technical webinar series, an opportunity to learn and earn CPD hours. Join Mario Arenas, Manager of the Metalurgical Department of Elements Material Technology as he presents the critical minerals that affect the global decarbonization.

There is a worldwide interest to decarbonize our industrial activities in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change. This involves the use of green technologies to replace the traditional energy matrix based on hydrocarbon resources. Renewable energy sources such as solar plants, wind farms, and the electrification of the transportation all require the use of critical minerals. Most industrialized countries such as Canada have identified a list of minerals that must be produced or acquired through a reliable supply chain in order to meet their future energy needs. In this presentation, an overview of the critical minerals will be discussed along with their specific uses and the challenges faced to start mines, produce minerals and refine them in a world with geopolitical tensions.