Lithion Recycling advances the construction of its first commercial plant
by CM Staff
Lithion St-Bruno will process over 15,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries annually, sourced from electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as non-conforming materials from cells and battery manufacturing.
MONTREAL — Lithion Recycling, now Lithion Technologies, a developer of technological solutions that try and sustainably create the circularity of battery materials, announces the construction of its first commercial critical mineral extraction plant in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, near Montreal, in Canada.
Having refined its technology at its commercial-scale demonstration plant over some years, the construction of this facility confirms Lithion is firmly in its commercialization phase. Lithion St-Bruno will process over 15,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries annually, sourced from electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as non-conforming materials from cells and battery manufacturing, to produce Lithion’s signature critical minerals concentrate. This capacity will reportedly reduce the environmental impact of transportation electrification and support its strategic partners’ efforts towards a local and sustainable circularity of strategic materials.
The plant is strategically located just outside Montreal to enable easy procurement of batteries and non-conforming materials from Canada and the United States, while benefiting from its proximity to Quebec’s growing battery industry. The construction was made possible by the financial support of the Quebec Government, via Investissement Québec and the Fonds d’électrification et de changements climatiques, IMM Investment Global, Fondaction, and General Motors.
“I am thrilled that we have reached this major milestone”, said Benoit Couture, President and CEO of Lithion. “From the onset, our goal at Lithion has been to make the energy transition truly sustainable by enabling the full circularity of battery materials. Today’s accomplishment is testament to the unparalleled level of innovation, collaboration, and integrity demonstrated by our team. Thanks to their dedication towards our common goal, Lithion confirms today its status as a major player in the battery industry. Our team is proud to implement, in Canada, a locally-developed solution to solve a global problem.”
Construction is progressing on schedule, with operations expected to begin this fall. It will be followed by the construction of its hydrometallurgy facility, which will separate the concentrate into its components to produce battery-grade lithium, cobalt, and nickel. This second facility’s commissioning is scheduled for 2026, following an upcoming financing round and site selection.
“The Lithion project fits into our Battery Industry Development Strategy, which focuses on extracting, processing, and recycling our critical minerals. This new plant builds upon Québec’s industry leadership and expertise, making our province more attractive to local and international investors”, stated Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region.
