Mélanie Joly's job description includes creating and preserving Canadian champions in every sector, including mining. Teck Resources Ltd. just made the Industry Minister's role far more interesting by revealing on Monday that the country's largest critical mineral miner had a two-year dalliance with a division of Vale SA before agreeing to marry Anglo American PLC this fall.
The potential combination of Vancouver-based Teck and Vale Base Metals - the Brazilian conglomerate's Toronto-based division, with nickel mines in Sudbury and Voisey's Bay, N.L. - has more Canadian content than a maple cruller. The scope of the Vale relationship, disclosed in a Teck circular published ahead of a vote on the Anglo merger, shows there is more than one way to build a global mining giant based in B.C.
In coming months, Ms. Joly must decide whether to approve or block the merger of Teck and Anglo, which is headquartered in London, if shareholders in the two companies approve their union at meetings scheduled for Dec. 9. The transaction is expected to receive the needed stamps of approval.