IOCG system Saint John, New Brunswick

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A New IOCG (Iron-Oxide Copper Gold) Frontier Emerges Near Saint John, New Brunswick

A major new chapter in Atlantic Canada’s mineral story is unfolding just west of Saint John, where early exploration has revealed what may be one of the region’s most promising IOCG‑style mineral systems. Long overlooked, the area is now drawing national and international attention for its unusually high grades of copper, gold, silver, antimony, and other critical minerals essential to electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The excitement began when prospector Rob Murray secured mineral rights over roughly 100 km² of prospective terrain and uncovered high‑grade mineralization at surface. Subsequent work by exploration companies—including Riversgold Limited and AIS Resources—has confirmed that the district hosts geophysical signatures and metal assemblages consistent with Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) systems, the same deposit family as Australia’s world‑class Olympic Dam.

Surface sampling has returned standout results: copper grades up to 17.6%, antimony up to 10.8%, gold exceeding 70 g/t, and silver reaching an extraordinary 48 oz/t in some samples Riversgold Limited private-cdn.liquidity.com.au. These numbers, combined with a 25‑kilometre mineralized corridor and strong magnetic anomalies, point to a large, multi‑commodity system with depth potential. A drill permit allowing tests down to 2,000 metres marks the next major step in evaluating the scale of the discovery LinkedIn.

Beyond the geology, the Saint John district offers a rare combination of Tier‑1 infrastructure—highways, rail, deep‑water port access, power, and a skilled workforce—positioning it as a potentially low‑barrier development opportunity. For New Brunswick, a province already known for mining‑friendly policy, the emergence of a district‑scale IOCG system could reshape its role in North America’s critical minerals supply chain.

While still early‑stage, the Saint John IOCG discovery represents one of the most compelling new mineral exploration stories in Eastern Canada. With drilling on the horizon and industry interest accelerating, the region may soon reveal whether it holds the next major Canadian critical‑minerals hub.

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REalloys Saskatchewan

REalloys’ Saskatchewan rare earths operation marks a turning point for North America’s critical minerals supply chain, establishing the continent’s first fully integrated heavy rare earth refinery with commercial production slated for early 2027.

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REalloys and Saskatchewan: A Strategic Alliance

In December 2025, the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) and REalys Inc. signed a suite of historic contracts that cement Saskatchewan’s role as a global hub for critical minerals Newswire Canadian Mining Journal. The partnership is anchored by a five-year offtake agreement under which REalloys will purchase the majority of annual production of Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) metals, as well as Dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb) oxides from SRC’s Rare Earth Processing Facility in Saskatoon Canadian Mining Journal.

This facility, equipped with more than 400 solvent extraction cells, represents North America’s first fully integrated rare earth processing and metals plant, covering monazite processing, separation, and smelting Newswire. Commercial-scale output is expected by early 2027, with Saskatchewan positioned as a linchpin in reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains MINING.COM.

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Investment and Expansion

REalloys, a U.S.-based startup formed in 2023, has committed $21 million to expand production capacity at the SRC facility MINING.COM KITCO. In return, it secured long-term rights to 80% of annual output, ensuring a steady supply of heavy rare earths for industries such as wind power, defense, and advanced electronics MINING.COM.

The company also signed agreements to source ore from Greenland, diversifying feedstock and reinforcing its commitment to allied supply chains MINING.COM. This expansion directly addresses bottlenecks in Western magnet manufacturing, where dysprosium and terbium are critical for high-performance permanent magnets The Globe and Mail.

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Strategic Implications

The deal has been described as a “rare earths tie-up with strategic implications” by Reuters, highlighting its importance amid tightening U.S. sourcing laws The Globe and Mail. By meeting Title 50 defense-sourcing requirements under U.S. Code, the partnership ensures zero Chinese or non-allied nexus in supply The Globe and Mail GlobeNewswire.

For Saskatchewan, the agreement delivers strong commercial returns while reinforcing its reputation as a global critical minerals hub Government of Saskatchewan kindersleysocial.ca. For REalloys, it secures a first-mover advantage in North American heavy rare earth refining, a sector previously dominated by Asia.

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Looking Ahead

Commercial production is expected to begin in early 2027, with REalloys and SRC positioned to deliver the first fully funded and permitted heavy rare earth refining pathway in North America The Globe and Mail prismmediawire.com. This landmark operation not only strengthens allied supply chains but also signals a new era of resource independence for Canada and the United States.

Sources: Newswire Canadian Mining Journal MINING.COM The Globe and Mail The Globe and Mail Government of Saskatchewan KITCO kindersleysocial.ca prismmediawire.com GlobeNewswire

REalloys Saskatchewan