North American mining company MAX Power Mining has announced the discovery of Canada’s largest known natural hydrogen resource in southeast Saskatchewan. The newly identified Rider Natural Hydrogen Project spans 1,244km² and features natural hydrogen concentrations as high as 96.4%.

Historical data from the region has revealed impressive hydrogen concentrations, including 4% at Weyburn and 87.4% at Stoughton. These findings suggest a substantial and viable hydrogen resource in the area.

The Rider Natural Hydrogen Project is located within the Torquay-Rocanville Corridor, a 200km long geological zone favourable for hydrogen accumulation. This area includes deep structures and fault lines that facilitate the upward migration of hydrogen from the pre-Cambrian basement rock into the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. These geological features are crucial as they create pathways for hydrogen to move from deep underground to the surface, where it can be collected.

Saskatchewan is an ideal location for the project due to its supportive policies on energy exploration and development, according to MAX Power. The province's pro-energy and pro-business stance, combined with the favourable geology, positions it to potentially become the first jurisdiction in North America to produce natural hydrogen on a large scale, the company added.

MAX Power is set to begin a verification programme to confirm the extent of natural hydrogen in the area. The company plans to explore additional data and potentially expand its operations both within Saskatchewan and in other regions. Denis Briere, VP of engineering at Calgary-based Chapman Hydrogen and Petroleum Engineering (a strategic ally of MAX Power) said: “This news from Saskatchewan—the scale of the opportunity and the very high historical grades—represents a watershed development for the world in the rapidly emerging natural hydrogen sector. Chapman is looking forward to working with MAX Power to take the Rider Natural Hydrogen Project to the next level.”  

“Natural hydrogen is the cleanest form of hydrogen and can be developed at the lowest cost relative to other (manufactured) variations. MAX Power has the potential to ignite a whole new energy boom in Canada and North America,” said Rav Mlait, CEO of MAX Power.

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Author: Razel Ahmed