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The demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EV) has triggered an unprecedented interest in this metal. Although there is asignificant history in the scientific literature regarding lithium mining in Quebec between 1950–1980, very few studies document the current state of the art and address the possibility of the province integrating alocal production chain oriented towards the EV battery market. This paper presents Quebec's position and analyses its needs and potential market through aliterature review focusing on the main opportunities to produce domestic spodumene concentrates, as well as the major challenges the province will have to face to make the most of its competitive advantages. Furthermore, it provides an updated list of lithium mineral resources and reserves in Quebec, in compliance with NI 43–101. The results show that Quebec holds 94.1% and 85.8% of all Canadian mineral reserves and resources, respectively. The paper also provides an overview of the lithium industry in the province and compares its status with other Canadian jurisdictions. Quebec lithium mines would benefit if their production could be directly integrated with other local or nearby partners, generating ajoint benefit throughout the manufacturing chain of lithium-ion batteries for the EV market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique to determine the concentration of gold in rock samples. 44 reference materials (mostly compressed fine powders) of various chemical compositions, with a quasi-homogeneous concentration of gold varying from 0 to 1000 ppm, were used to establish the calibration curve for the Au I 267.59 nm line. A chemometric study based on the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that ~ 83% of the LIBS spectra variations are attributable to the presence of iron in the samples. Two distinct branches were obtained in the calibration curve: one for Si -rich samples (< 5% of iron) and one for Fe-rich samples (> 13% of iron) with limits of detection of 0.8 ppm and 1.5 ppm, respectively. Different normalization schemes of the gold signal were tested in order to reduce the matrix effects. The LIBS analysis was performed on various mineral samples of practical interest, namely two Si-rich uncompressed ore powders, fine and granular, and three bulk drill cores. The fluctuations in the gold concentration measurements appear to be about two times greater in the granular powder (5–10%) than in the fine one (2–5%). A detailed mapping of the gold concentration on a solid drill core was also performed, revealing multiscale heterogeneity of the gold distribution on the surface of the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]