Electra Increases Capacity of its Canadian Battery Materials Refinery

Provides Update on Phase 1 of Battery Materials Park

Electra Battery Materials Corporation (TSXV: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") provided an update on the expansion and recommissioning of its hydrometallurgical refinery in Canada announcing a 30% increase in the design capacity of its cobalt refinery. First production is scheduled for Q4 2022, as part of a phased approach to create the only battery materials park in North America providing automakers with direct access to battery-grade nickel and cobalt, recycled battery material and precursor material.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • In response to strong customer demand, Electra will invest in additional capacity for its crystallizer circuit, which will result in installed capacity of 6,500 tonnes of annual cobalt production, a 30% capacity increase from the feasibility study design of 5,000 tonnes
  • Commissioning of the cobalt refinery remains on schedule for Q4 2022
  • Project control budget for the larger circuit is US$67 million , which can be funded from treasury, compared to a feasibility study estimate for a smaller plant of US$60 million
  • Ground excavation has commenced for a new solvent extraction facility and contracts have been awarded for the foundations and building construction
  • Previously announced MoU with IXM SA for cobalt hydroxide feed material has been formalized as an executed contract
  • Replay of November 8 investor call discussing new corporate strategy and name change from First Cobalt to Electra Battery Materials is now available on the Company's website

Due to client feedback and a strong demand outlook for battery-grade cobalt, Electra Battery Materials will increase its investment in its low carbon Canadian hydrometallurgical refinery and expand nameplate capacity of its crystallizer circuit to 6,500 tonnes of annual cobalt production. This represents a 30% capacity increase from the design rate of 5,000 tonnes per year. The facility will produce 100% of North American supply and 26% of supply sourced outside of China .

Construction remains on schedule to commission the refinery in Q4 2022 and initially ramp up to 5,000 tonnes per year. Permit amendments will be sought for the incremental capacity to permit the facility to ramp up from 5,000 to 6,500 tonnes.

"The strength of the North American electric vehicle market year to date and the growth forecasts of automakers informed our decision to invest in additional capacity even before the initial capacity has been brought online. Likewise, our decision to pursue a more ambitious strategy of producing precursor material, nickel and cobalt, and to recycle batteries is motivated by insights shared by battery cell manufacturers and automotive companies," said Trent Mell , President & Chief Executive Officer.

Electra Increases Capacity of its Canadian Battery Materials Refinery 1. Based on 2022 forecast, when Electra's refinery commences operations. Source: Electra Battery Materials, BNEF. (CNW Group/Electra Battery Materials Corporation)

The Company has signed contracts and purchase orders with commitments totaling US$22 million . Contracts have been awarded for the two most expensive components of the refinery – the cobalt crystallizer and the solvent extraction plant. A number of smaller contracts have also been awarded, including solvent extraction plant earthworks, foundations and exterior building construction.

The capital budget is currently estimated at US$67 million , including a contingency amount of US$3.9 million . This represents a $7 million or 11.67% increase from the previously announced capital cost estimate of US$60 million . Part of the additional cost is related to the decision to increase production by 30% as well as changes in foreign exchange and increased construction material costs compared to the original engineering study. Detailed engineering is now significantly more advanced and numerous contracts and equipment orders have been finalized, resulting in a new capital budget that is more defined and representative of the advancement of the project. With the increased project definition, the formal project control budget has now been internally approved.

The project capital table is provided below:

Electra Increases Capacity of its Canadian Battery Materials Refinery (CNW Group/Electra Battery Materials Corporation)

From the revised project capital budget, approximately US$5 million has been spent to date, primarily on equipment deposits. Cash requirement for the refinery expansion from today through to commissioning is estimated at US$59 million . A further US$3 million is not expected to be paid until early 2023, based on anticipated payment terms.

The Company's current working capital on hand is approximately US$54 million (after previously paying for the first $5 million in project expenditures).  Additionally, the committed funding from the Governments of Ontario and Canada will provide a further US$8 million ( C$10 million ), which gives overall liquidity of approximately US$62 million to use moving forward.

Given the number of items already under contract and a strong internal controls framework, the Company believes that the contingency amount of US$3.9 million included in the capital budget will not be required in full, and that a significant portion will be applied to increase the Company's excess cash on hand.

Electra Increases Capacity of its Canadian Battery Materials Refinery (CNW Group/Electra Battery Materials Corporation)

The Company has also formalized its previously announced long-term cobalt hydroxide feed arrangement with IXM SA , a fully owned subsidiary of CMOC, to supply cobalt from its Tenke Fungurume mining operation, which complements the existing cobalt hydroxide supply agreement the Company has in place with Glencore. The Company plans to source the remaining feed opportunistically at a later date.

November 8 Investor Call Replay

Electra hosted a live investor call on Monday, November 8 , unveiling the Company's new brand and shift in corporate strategy to building North America's only fully integrated, localized and environmentally sustainable battery materials park. A replay is now available for viewing, here: https://www.firstcobalt.com/investors/media-gallery/videos/

About Electra Battery Materials

Electra is building North America's only fully integrated, localized and environmentally sustainable battery materials park. Leveraging the company's own mining assets and business partners, the Electra Battery Materials Park will host cobalt and nickel sulfate production plants, a large-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility, and battery precursor materials production, which will serve both North American and global customers. Electra Battery Materials is an integral part of the North American battery supply chain, providing low-carbon, sustainable and traceable raw materials for the region's fast growing electric vehicle industry.

On behalf of Electra Battery Materials.

Trent Mell
President & Chief Executive Officer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, and opportunities to differ materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are set forth in the management discussion and analysis and other disclosures of risk factors for Electra, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Although Electra believes that the information and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, Electra disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Electra Battery Materials Corporation Logo (CNW Group/Electra Battery Materials Corporation)

Cision View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electra-increases-capacity-of-its-canadian-battery-materials-refinery-301420849.html

SOURCE Electra Battery Materials Corporation

Cision View original content to download multimedia: https://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/10/c8098.html

News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia

The Conversation (0)
Sort by
A lithium-ion battery in the foreground with a line of batteries in the background, all surrounded by blue swirls.

ASX Cobalt Stocks: 4 Biggest Companies in 2025

After spending much of the last two years trending downwards, the cobalt price is spiking in 2025.

About 75 percent of global cobalt output comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While electric vehicle (EV) demand has remained positive, cobalt oversupply has weighed on markets and hurt efforts to build supply chains outside of the DRC.

However, the country banned exports of cobalt in February in an effort to increase the metal's falling price. By mid-March, cobalt had spiked to US$36,170 per tonne, up more than 65 percent from its record-low price of US$21,550 hit in late January.

Increasing electric vehicle (EV) and lithium-ion battery demand is expected to be supportive for key battery raw materials in the coming years. This means that as demand for EVs increases, so too will demand for cobalt — and, as one of the top four cobalt-producing countries in the world, Australia finds itself in a position to capitalise on this demand.

Keep reading...Show less
Electric car charging, wind turbine and cityscape double exposure.

Cobalt Market Update: Q1 2025 in Review

Cobalt metal prices fell to a nine year low in February after another year of oversupply, but rebounded sharply after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) instituted a four month export pause for the critical metal.

After starting the year at US$24,495 per metric ton, cobalt ended the three month period at US$34,040.40, a strong 39 percent increase from January’s value. The price spread between cobalt’s first quarter low of US$21,467.70 on January 29 and its Q1 high of US$36,262 on March 17 is even more impressive at 69 percent.

The drop to US$21,467.70 marked the battery metal's lowest level since February 2016.

Keep reading...Show less
A Canada flag on a compass pointing towards the word "invest."

Electra Secures Federal Support for North America’s Only Cobalt Sulfate Refinery

Electra Battery Materials (TSXV:ELBM,NASDAQ:ELBM) announced on March 21 that it has received a letter of intent from the Canadian government for C$20 million in proposed funding.

The money would support the construction and commissioning of North America’s first battery-grade cobalt refinery, a critical step toward strengthening the region’s electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.

The refinery, located in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, is set to produce 6,500 metric tons of cobalt sulfate annually, enabling domestic production of up to 1 million EVs per year. According to Electra, it would be a key step in reducing North America's dependence on China, which currently refines approximately 90 percent of the world’s cobalt.

Keep reading...Show less
The cobalt periodic symbol with a rainbow in the background.

Top 5 Canadian Cobalt Stocks in 2025

Cobalt prices have been in a steady state of decline for much of the past few years as the market has remained constrained by excess supply and eroding demand.

The sluggish market conditions were attributed to reduced demand from the battery sector and oversupply of material. As a result, prices remained under pressure, with limited signs of improvement expected in the near term.

Cobalt prices continued to face many headwinds at the beginning of 2025. The multi-year supply glut and the growing transition to cobalt-free electric vehicle battery chemistries pulled the value of the battery metal down to US$21,550 per metric ton on February 10, a low not seen for more than a decade.

However, the world's leading cobalt producing country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) placed a four-month ban on cobalt exports on February 22 in an effort to boost prices. As the DRC is responsible for more than 70 percent of global cobalt production, this of course sent prices for the battery metal soaring to a yearly high of US$36,170 per metric ton as of March 17.

Keep reading...Show less

Latest Press Releases

Related News

×