Saskatchewan’s Energy Minister says that she’s excited about the future of the province’s energy sector as it expands into lithium and helium.

Minister Bronwyn Eyre says the new lithium development project coming to southern Saskatchewan, opens a whole new market for the province.

“It’s full steam ahead, I think, in terms of lithium’s potential here in the province,” said Eyre. “Batteries represent up to 45 percent of the lithium market, but lithium is also used to produce glass and ceramics, greases, lubricants. So, there are lots of exciting possibilities here.”

Saskatchewan is known for its potash and its oil and gas, but Eyre says it’s important for the province to diversify. She adds that the lithium and helium projects will allow the province to do just that.

“The movement into helium, the movement into lithium extraction, are really important signs of that diversification, and of the future economy in this province,” said Eyre.

She says that the new helium and lithium plants are just the beginning of how the province can expand the use of its natural resources.

“The sky’s the limit in terms of what we can do,” said Eyre. “Some of the minerals that we’re looking at extracting and exploring in the province, moving into, for example, rare earths, and the development of those possibilities, along with lithium and helium, are all very positive signs of new areas for growth in Saskatchewan.”

Eyre says an added bonus of the lithium and helium projects is that they use old oil and gas infrastructure in their operations.