Ministerial Momentum:
How Government Support Fuels pH7’s Innovation.
Four ministerial visits to pH7 Technologies highlight how strategic government partnerships are accelerating our sustainable metal extraction solutions globally.
What does it take to transform Canada’s mining industry? At pH7 Technologies, the answer lies in our proprietary metal extraction process that reduces environmental impact by 99% while improving recovery rates. But equally important has been the strategic support of government partners who recognize that cleantech innovation is key to Canada’s economic and environmental future.
The results of these partnerships are tangible: over $3.85 million in government funding, a fully operational commercial facility processing 5,000 kilograms of raw materials daily, and a growing list of clients benefiting from our sustainable approach to critical metals extraction. These outcomes have been catalyzed by four significant ministerial visits to our Burnaby PGM processing facilities over the past year, each one accelerating our trajectory from innovative concept to commercial reality.
March 2024: Provincial Support Launches Commercial Operations
The catalyst for pH7’s accelerated commercialization came in March 2024, when the Honourable Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, toured our newly established commercial plant in Burnaby. Accompanied by MLA Raj Chouhan, Minister Osborne announced $850,000 in funding through BC’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund—a strategic investment that directly supported the province’s minerals strategy.
The visit highlighted how pH7’s technology addresses multiple priorities within the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, particularly the goal of establishing BC as a world leader in sustainable extraction and processing of critical minerals. Minister Osborne’s team engaged with our technical specialists about how our organo-electrochemical process reduces carbon emissions while extracting metals that are essential for renewable energy technologies.
“With near net-zero environmental impact in the extraction of critical metals and minerals, pH7 is demonstrating the kind of innovative thinking that can transform mining around the world,” noted Minister Osborne during her visit.
This first ministerial visit established a framework for ongoing collaboration between pH7 and provincial authorities, creating pathways for future policy development that could incentivize sustainable mining practices across BC’s resource sector.
Minister Josie Osborne and team members tour pH7’s commercial facility in Burnaby, BC during the announcement of $850,000 in ICE Fund support.
November 2024: Federal Backing Expands Market Reach
Eight months after the provincial ICE Fund announcement, pH7 welcomed Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services and MP for Burnaby North-Seymour, to our demonstration plant. His November 2024 visit culminated in the announcement of $1.5 million in PacifiCan funding specifically aimed at helping pH7 scale operations and purchase specialized equipment.
This federal investment through the Business Scale-up and Productivity Program directly complemented the earlier provincial support. While the ICE Fund grant focused on establishing our commercial operations, the PacifiCan funding targeted expanding our technical capabilities and increasing production efficiency.
During his facility tour, Minister Beech witnessed a detailed demonstration of how pH7’s technology can extract metals from materials previously considered uneconomical to process—a capability that positions our company as an innovator in expanding Canada’s effective mineral resource base.
“Burnaby is leading the way in sustainability and innovation. Fresh ideas and groundbreaking advancements like those of pH7’s are not only transforming global industries but ensuring a cleaner, prosperous future for all British Columbians,” noted Minister Beech after observing our enhanced processing capabilities.
The pH7 team with Minister Terry Beech during the $1.5M PacifiCan funding announcement at our demonstration plant.
March 2025: BC Mining Minister Explores Commercial Operations
Last month, pH7 welcomed Jagrup Brar, Minister of Mining and Critical Minerals, to our Burnaby facility, where he witnessed firsthand the results of our scaled commercial operations. This high-level visit highlighted the technical maturity of our sustainable extraction process, now fully operational and serving commercial clients.
During his tour, Minister Brar observed our proprietary technology in action and examined processed materials ready for client delivery. The visit included discussions about how pH7’s innovations could be expanded beyond our facility to benefit BC’s broader mining industry. Of particular interest was our ability to enable heap operators to maximize their recovery using our solvometallurgical extraction process without requiring significant process flowsheet changes.
These conversations focused on practical implementation strategies for bringing sustainable extraction methods to established mining operations throughout the province. Minister Brar’s expertise in the mining sector provided valuable insights into potential integration pathways for our technology. We demonstrated how mining operators could replace their more complicated and expensive concentrators with the pH7 process while utilizing existing heap leach facilities to process sulphide ore – a capability previously unavailable to many operations.
The Minister’s visit affirmed the alignment between pH7’s capabilities and British Columbia’s vision for environmentally responsible resource development – a connection that promises to accelerate the adoption of sustainable mining practices within the province and beyond.
Minister Jagrup Brar and CEO Mohammad Doostmohammadi examining processed materials at pH7’s commercial plant.
March 2025: Trade Minister Explores Market Development
Just days after Minister Brar’s tour, Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade and MLA, visited our Burnaby facility. This visit addressed the regulatory landscape affecting pH7’s growing commercial operations.
Minister Glumac and his Chief of Staff, Theresa Ho, engaged with our CEO, Mohammad Doostmohammadi, and CFO, Dan Parmar, in strategic discussions about accelerating pH7’s global market penetration. These conversations centered on how government resources could complement our commercial momentum, particularly in regions where policy changes are creating new demand for sustainable extraction technologies.
The ministerial tour provided an opportunity to showcase our technology in action, with our CEO highlighting the economic efficiencies that make our approach attractive to international partners despite regulatory complexities.
This engagement demonstrated the provincial government’s commitment to supporting innovative cleantech companies during uncertain economic periods, recognizing their strategic importance to British Columbia’s trade relationships and environmental leadership.
Minister Rick Glumac discusses operations and trade opportunities during his tour of pH7’s production facility.
Measurable Impact: Turning Partnership into Progress
The four ministerial visits to our Burnaby plant over the past year have produced tangible outcomes that demonstrate the power of government-industry collaboration in advancing cleantech innovation.
The combined $3.85 million in government funding has enabled us to achieve several key milestones:
• Full commercialization of our PGM extraction process, now operating at capacity
• Expansion of our technical capabilities through specialized equipment acquisition
• Creation of new highly skilled positions in our Burnaby facility
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by up to 99% compared to traditional extraction methods
• Near-elimination of water usage in our metal extraction processes
Beyond the financial support, these government engagements have facilitated valuable industry connections that are accelerating the adoption of our technology. Through the networks established during ministerial visits, pH7 has formed partnerships with mining operations seeking to reduce their environmental footprint while improving resource recovery.
Future Directions: Scaling Global Impact
While our Burnaby facility demonstrates the commercial viability of sustainable PGM extraction, pH7’s technology continues to attract interest from international mining partners. Several tier-one mining companies are now evaluating our process for integration into their existing heap leach operations, recognizing the potential to significantly improve recoveries from sulphide reserves that were previously uneconomical to process. These collaborations extend far beyond technology transfer, creating entirely new operational models that balance resource production with environmental stewardship. The government support chronicled in this post has been instrumental in enabling this transition from local innovation to global solution.
The results we’ve achieved in Canada, include a 99% reduction in environmental impact and improved recovery rates. Mining companies seeking similar transformational results are invited to contact our business development team to learn how our technology can be adapted to their specific needs. Together with our partners, we’re building a global mining industry where environmental excellence and economic success are inseparable.
