Sept 6 (Reuters) - Canada Nickel ( CNIKF ) said on Friday

that Export Development Canada has expressed interest in

providing a long-term loan of up to $500 million for the miner's

Crawford project in Ontario.

The letter of interest proposes a tenor of up to 18 years,

subject to certain conditions.

Canada has identified 31 minerals, including copper, lithium

and nickel, as critical for its strategic uses in modern

technology and the energy transition, such as in electric

vehicle batteries.

It has also tightened scrutiny on the ownership of the

Canadian projects that produce the critical metals and has asked

several Chinese investors to divest their holdings on national

security reasons.

The company, in which Agnico Eagle Mines ( AEM ) owns

nearly 11%, said it was working with its advisers to secure the

remaining funding need to start construction of the mine after

receiving the necessary permits, expected to be by mid 2025.

Canada Nickel ( CNIKF ) has also said it was looking to raise $1

billion to build a nickel-processing plant in Ontario and

expects to process 80,000 tonnes of nickel annually.