[SMM Flash: Canada to Invest $4.6 Billion in G7 Critical Mineral Projects] As a member of the newly formed G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance, Canada announced 26 new investment and cooperation projects on October 31, with a total value of $4.6 billion. These project agreements cover several public-private partnerships and are part of the alliance's first round of designated strategic projects, aimed at supplying a range of critical minerals, including graphite, scandium, samarium, and gadolinium. Among them, Canada's sovereign growth fund will invest $17.7 million in the ongoing plant expansion project of Rio Tinto in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. Once operational, the facility is expected to achieve an annual production of 9 mt of scandium oxide, making it the sole scandium producer in North America. Additionally, the Canadian government conditionally approved an investment of up to $36.3 million for Ucore Rare Metals' processing plant in Kingston, Ontario, which is primarily used for refining samarium and gadolinium.