Northern Ont. critical minerals company ready for construction

Electra Battery Materials has approved a $73 million USD budget to build North America’s first battery-grade cobalt sulfate refinery in Temiskaming Shores.

Electra Battery Materials’ board of directors recently approved a US$73 million budget to launch expansion plans for its brownfield site, located on the border of Temiskaming Shores and the Town of Cobalt, Ont.

Once up and running, the refinery will produce refined cobalt, the first produced in North America. Refined cobalt is a key part in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.

Company founder and CEO Trent Mell said the project — which has started and stopped and started again since the COVID-19 pandemic — is ready to cross the finish line.

“There have been a lot of startups in the critical minerals space over the years,” Mell said.

“We are going to be the first — not just the first in Canada, not just the first northern Ontario, but the first in North America — and so it’s an honour. It’s been a long journey. By this time next year, we’ll be getting close to finalizing construction.”

Mell said parts of the plant will be commissioned later in 2026, with investment and support from all levels of government, including the United States.

What’s needed now are people.

“We need skilled trades to come and help us execute,” he said.

“The major tenders are out for bid and negotiation, so you’ll see us announcing that very, very soon. And then it’ll be room and board and making sure we have enough hotel rooms and Airbnbs in the area to accommodate the crews.”

Mell said commercial production will begin next year, with about 60 per cent of it being sold to LG Electronics.

Mine feed will be imported from the Congo and Electra Battery Materials will convert that into sulfate to be used in products such as car batteries, power tools and cellphones.

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