SUDBURY, Ont. — The provincial government will spend more than $9 million to help Canadian and international researchers unlock one of the universe’s great mysteries.

John Milloy, Ontario’s minister of Research and Innovation, announced the money for dark matter research at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNOLAB).

“In the field of astrophysics particles, Sudbury is doing well now because of the discoveries made by the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory,” said Mark Chen, co-lead researcher of the project. “The new experiments will involve deep exploration to search the world looking solely for dark (matter) particles.”

“We know they exist, but have yet to be discovered.”

Even though it’s never been seen, scientists believe dark matter makes up a quarter of the universe.

SNOLAB, located deep inside Vale Inco’s Creighton Mine, will get $9 million so 120 scientists can conduct particle astrophysics experiments.

“You have helped make Ontario an important research centre for Canada,” Milloy, who is also Ontario’s minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, said Thursday.

“It’s important to have innovative people and innovative thinking which will build the future of this region and of this province. We are so optimistic about what’s happening in Sudbury. We look for amazing things to continue to happen in Sudbury.”