Federal govt. invests $9M in B.C.’s battery supply chain advancement

RICHMOND — The federal government invests over $9 million in Saltworks Technologies and NORAM Electrolysis Systems (NESI) to support the battery supply chain in B.C. under the Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration (CMRDD) program.

Energy minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced saying, “New clean technologies will help address gaps in our world-leading supply chain; seize the economic opportunity presented to us; keep Canadian industry competitive in a rapidly evolving global context; and create jobs — now and for future generations.”

The $4.9 million investment to Saltworks will accelerate the concentration and conversion of Canadian lithium brine into lithium battery precursors using two technologies developed and tested by Saltworks. This project could accelerate access to lithium resources and reduce investment risk in Canada’s brine-to-battery lithium industry.

The additional investment of $4.5 million to NESI will support an industrial-scale demonstration of membrane electrolysis technology for lithium production at NESI’s test centre. The project will help commercialize sustainable lithium hydroxide production from a variety of lithium resources.

“Lithium hydroxide production by electrolysis has become a key technology for ensuring that the environmental impact associated with the production and recycling of critical minerals is minimized. NESI’s project, supported by the CMRDD program, will result in the establishment of an industrial-scale Lithium Electrolysis Test Centre producing tonnage quantities of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from both domestic and international lithium resources,” said Jeremy Moulson, NESI president and CEO.