Electra completes study for Ontario battery recycling hub

Assorted footage of Electra's North American Refinery Project in Colbalt, Ont.

Electra Battery Materials has completed a feasibility-level engineering study for a modular battery recycling facility to be built near its cobalt sulphate refinery in northern Ontario.

The facility will use Electra’s proprietary hydrometallurgical process to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite from lithium-ion battery scrap and end-of-life batteries. The process was validated during a year-long pilot program treating black mass supplied by an industry partner.

Funded in part by Natural Resources Canada, the next phase will test continuous and semi-continuous operations to simulate commercial-scale output. Recovered cobalt will feed directly into Electra’s nearby cobalt sulfate refinery, currently under construction, while other materials will re-enter the battery supply chain.

“We are advancing a clear pathway to a closed-loop, domestically sourced battery materials supply chain,” said Trent Mell, Electra’s CEO, in a news release last week.

“This integration strengthens North America’s energy security and positions Electra as a first mover in the continent’s emerging battery ecosystem.”

The project aligns with Electra’s partnership with Aki Battery Recycling, a majority Indigenous-owned joint venture with the Three Fires Group, which will supply shredded battery scrap.

“Through Aki, we are building a robust pipeline to process battery manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries that can be converted into value-added materials right here in Ontario,” Mell added.

Electra plans to share study results with battery manufacturers and automakers to gauge interest in offtake agreements and scale adjustments. The study was conducted with Green Li-ion, whose modular technology forms the basis of the recycling process.

The initiative supports efforts to reduce reliance on foreign critical mineral processing, particularly amid China’s dominance. Electra’s refinery has received funding from the Canadian and U.S. governments, reflecting its strategic role in military and energy storage applications.

Aki Battery Recycling is developing a shredding facility to supply black mass, combining Indigenous economic participation with secure feedstock for Electra’s operations.