Electra Battery Materials Corporation has announced a significant milestone by achieving over 99% purity in its technical-grade lithium carbonate product. This development enhances the company’s capability to produce high-quality technical and battery-grade materials from its black mass recycling project.

Trent Mell, the CEO of Electra, highlighted the effectiveness of their proprietary hydrometallurgical process, which has consistently produced valuable products, including lithium carbonate, nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), and graphite. Mell noted that this achievement at a plant scale may represent the first instance of such high-grade lithium carbonate production in North America. He emphasized the importance of developing a robust onshore supply chain alongside a closed-loop battery recycling solution, especially as the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) rises.

In 2023, Electra secured a C$5 million funding commitment from the Government of Canada to advance the next phase of its business. Mell indicated that results like the successful production of lithium carbonate will propel this initiative forward as the company seeks to scale its operations. The recent joint venture with the Three Fires Group, known as Aki Battery Recycling, is another crucial aspect of Electra’s recycling strategy, ensuring a steady supply of black mass for ongoing operations.

Mark Trevisiol, Vice President of Project Development, praised the technical and operational teams at the Ontario refinery for this achievement, which was accomplished by utilizing existing resources and controlling costs. He noted that this milestone complements the previously produced nickel-cobalt MHP and graphite, reinforcing the case for a larger, continuous recycling process.

Black mass, the residual material from shredded lithium-ion batteries, contains valuable elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, copper, and graphite. Recovering these materials is vital for recycling into new lithium-ion batteries. Electra began processing 40 tonnes of black mass at its refining complex near Toronto, marking what is believed to be North America’s first plant-scale hydrometallurgical recycling of this material, along with the domestic production of nickel-cobalt MHP. The successful recovery of MHP, lithium carbonate, and graphite aligns with the growing emphasis on recycling battery materials to lower the carbon footprint of the EV supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign sources for essential minerals.

The Aki Battery Recycling joint venture aims to source and process end-of-life and off-spec lithium-ion batteries to produce black mass at a state-of-the-art facility in southern Ontario. This black mass will undergo further processing at Electra's hydrometallurgical refinery to reclaim critical minerals for reintegration into the battery supply chain. In the near term, Electra is focused on recommissioning and expanding its Ontario cobalt refinery, with a long-term vision that encompasses battery recycling and nickel production to strengthen critical mineral refining processes within the North American EV battery supply chain.