Advancing innovation and sustainability for critical minerals processing in North America
SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company today announced a long-term strategic collaboration with Exterra Technologies (Exterra), a Quebec-based mining technology company. The collaboration will reinforce Canada’s domestic critical mineral processing capacity while addressing the pressing issue of environmental footprint reduction in mineral production. The announcement was made at the PDAC 2026 Convention in Toronto.
Prior to the SGS-Exterra announcement, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada, announced Exterra’s entering into a contribution agreement of $5 million (CAD) with Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) Program to advance its flagship Hub I pre-commercial project in Quebec. The CMRDD is a cornerstone of Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy, designed to advance high-priority critical mineral projects and to position Canada as a leading global supplier of sustainably sourced critical minerals.
As part of the SGS-Exterra strategic collaboration, Exterra’s work will involve demonstrating that on-site regeneration of key chemical inputs can lower reagent costs and environmental impacts when compared to single-use acids and bases that are delivered to mining sites – a proposition that SGS will independently test and validate through piloting. “With SGS providing validation services, we are advancing a platform that aims to lower operating costs and reduces carbon footprint,” said Olivier Dufresne, CEO and Co–founder of Exterra Technologies. “Together, we are building a cleaner, more competitive and more secure supply chain anchored in Quebec and scalable globally. This relationship marks a major step forward for both Exterra and Canada’s critical minerals ambitions.”
SGS will integrate Exterra’s modular pilot plant and analytical systems within its world leading metallurgical laboratories in Québec City (Quebec), Lakefield (Ontario), and Burnaby (British Columbia), creating an independent platform for validation, optimization and accelerated deployment. By hosting pilot operations and applying the technical rigor and derisking required to advance new mineral processing solutions, SGS will deliver independent third-party validation of Exterra’s technology platform, providing the company with a disciplined pathway toward commercial readiness. Exterra will invest more than $10 million (CAD) in test work, research and development, and pilot operations, anchored at SGS facilities — ultimately aiming to demonstrate the platform’s scalability across future applications.
“The future of mining must address the industry’s most pressing cost, recovery and ESG challenges,” said Stephen Mackie, Senior Director of Metallurgy and Consulting at Natural Resources, SGS (North America). “We are excited about integrating Exterra’s pilot operations within SGS facilities to strengthen independent validation and accelerate the deployment of next-generation mineral processing solutions. Importantly, this collaboration supports Canada’s ongoing leadership in advanced mineral processing to reinforce more resilient and sustainable critical mineral supply chains.”
“Canada is ready to build the next generation of mineral processing technologies that will secure good jobs, strengthen our supply chains, and keep Canada at the forefront of global clean–technology leadership,” said the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada. “This collaboration between Exterra and SGS demonstrates how our government is unlocking made-in-Canada solutions that lower costs and reduce environmental impacts, all while building a more competitive, resilient economy for Canadians.”
SGS’s Strategy 27 is a top-down corporate strategy that responds to megatrends in the TIC industry. For the mining and energy industries, this strategic collaboration aligns with the necessary push towards electrification, clean manufacturing, clean mobility, advanced manufacturing and supply chain security. It also aligns with SGS’s IMPACT NOW for sustainability framework, which is centered around mitigating environmental and social impacts – in this case, responsible natural resource development to do better for people and the planet. In 2026, maintaining a Social License to Operate (SLO) remains a top priority for mining organizations worldwide.
