The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Teck Resources says it is going ahead with an extension of its Highland Valley copper mine development that could cost as much as $2.4-billion, making it the largest critical-minerals investment in British Columbia's history. The Globe's Jeffrey Jones writes that Teck said the project will extend the life of the mine from 2028 to 2046 to meet surging demand for copper. The Vancouver-based company said it would start construction in August after garnering the required permits last month. The project is expected to create about 2,900 jobs and generate $435-million in additional gross domestic product during the construction phase, it said. It will support 1,500 jobs over the life of the mine. Extending production at the site, about 75 kilometres southwest of Kamloops, will generate a "robust" rate of return for the company and guarantee access to the metal for the next two decades, the company said in a statement. Production from the Highland Valley mine is expected to average 132,000 tonnes a year over its life. Teck believes that demand for copper to double by the middle of the century as the world shifts to a low-carbon economy and population grows.