Electra tests North American cobalt feedstock to advance regional refining

Electra Battery Materials

Pilot work begins on domestic supply

Electra tests North American cobalt feedstock to strengthen a regional battery supply chain. The company evaluates concentrates at its Ontario laboratory. Preliminary results for the hydrometallurgical route are expected by year end. Electra tests North American cobalt feedstock while validating domestic ores alongside existing import contracts.

Electra tests North American cobalt feedstock from Ontario and Idaho

Electra sourced material from Ontario’s historic Cobalt Camp and Idaho’s Iron Creek. The team studies impurity profiles and leach kinetics. As a result, process adjustments can optimize cobalt sulfate quality for cathode makers. The company secured a decade-long exploration permit covering Iron Creek and nearby ground.

Electra continues to progress its cobalt sulfate refinery financing. The firm received $20mn from the US Department of Defense. An additional $20mn from a private partner complements the package. In March, Electra raised $3.1mn in equity to support the buildout. These funds back engineering, commissioning, and feedstock testing.

The program aims to reduce reliance on overseas intermediates. Domestic feedstock improves traceability and ESG credentials. Meanwhile, hydrometallurgy can lower carbon intensity versus pyrometallurgy. Successful trials could anchor long-term offtake for North American gigafactories. The project targets scalable cobalt sulfate for high-nickel and LFP blends.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Electra’s lab program matters because conversion capacity, not ore, often bottlenecks cobalt supply. If the tests confirm consistent sulfate quality, North American cell makers gain a shorter, de-risked route. Watch impurity management, reagent costs, and by-product credits, which will shape refinery margins.