お知らせ • Jun 05
Electra Battery Materials Corporation Completes Feasibility Level Study on Battery Recycling Facility
Electra Battery Materials Corporation announced completion of a feasibility level Class 3 Engineering Study for the construction of a modular battery recycling facility adjacent to its cobalt sulfate refinery north of Toronto. The facility will be designed to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite from lithium-ion battery manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries using Electra's proprietary hydrometallurgical process. This process was developed and validated through a year-long pilot program that treated black mass sourced from an industry partner. The next phase of work, funded in part by Natural Resources Canada, will involve operating the recycling process under continuous and semi-continuous conditions to simulate commercial-scale throughput. The study outlines how black mass will be refined at the new facility to produce key battery materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt., manganese, and graphites. The cobalt stream will serve as feedstock for Electra's permitted cobalt sulfate refinery, which has received financial backing from both the Government of Canada and the U.S. Department of Defense. Electra's partnership with Aki Battery Recycling, a joint venture with the Three Fires Group, will provide a reliable and secure supply of black mass feedstock. Aki, a majority Indigenous-owned recycling venture, is building a battery collection and shredding operation focused on responsible recycling of lithium-ion battery manufacturing scrap. This upstream supply chain security supports both Electra's near-term demonstration efforts and long-term commercial ambitions. Collaboration and Commercial Path Forward: Electra plans to present the results of the engineering study to downstream partners, including battery manufacturers and OEMs, who have expressed interest in participating in the project. Their input will help determine the optimal scale of the facility and influence project timing, capital requirements, and potential offtake arrangements. The study was completed in partnership with Green Li-ion, whose modular technology underpins the recycling process. Several process modifications and enhancements were developed during the collaboration, resulting in proprietary improvements that strengthen Electra's competitive position in the recycling value chain. Critical Minerals and National Security: Electra supports North American energy independence in response to growing global competition, particularly in the face of China's dominance in critical mineral processing and battery supply chains. As gigafactory timelines evolve and the battery market rapidly expands, Electra's leadership in refining cobalt and other critical materials will be a key contributor to this transformation. Electra's integrated black mass refining program aligns with strategic priorities in Canada and the United States. Cobalt plays an essential role not only in electric vehicles and grid storage, but also in military-grade batteries, communication systems, and backup power, where reliability under extreme conditions is non-negotiable. Advanced battery storage systems also depend heavily on cobalt-containing chemistries for their energy density, thermal stability, and long cycle life. These systems are used to stabilize renewable energy inputs, support remote or off-grid communities, and provide critical backup for hospitals, data centers, and industrial infrastructure. By recycling critical minerals domestically, with batteries already in North America, Electra is helping to close the loop on strategic minerals that are currently largely exported to Asia for processing.