Lithion Recycling changes name, advances construction of its first commercial battery recycling plant

Battery recycler Lithion Recycling Inc., now known as Lithion Technologies, has announced the construction of its first commercial critical mineral extraction plant in St.-Bruno-de-Montarville, near Montreal.

Having refined its technology at its commercial-scale demonstration plant over the last five years, the Montreal-based company says the construction of the new facility confirms it is firmly in its commercialization phase. Lithion St.-Bruno will process over 15,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) 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.

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“We are proud to host the first commercial plant of Lithion, a company that contributes to the creation of the circular economy of battery materials,” St.-Bruno-de-Montarville Mayor Ludovic Grise Farand says. “More than ever, the strategic location of the Gerard-Filion Business Park near major roads important to the North American supply chain allows us to attract innovative and ambitious companies of the economy of tomorrow.”

Equivalent to 45,000 cars, the company says this capacity will significantly reduce the environmental impact of transportation electrification and support its strategic partners’ efforts toward a local and sustainable circularity of strategic materials.

Lithion says the plant is strategically located just outside Montreal to enable easy procurement of batteries and non-conforming materials from Canada and the U.S., 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 Quebec and the Electrification and Climate Change Fund, IMM Investment Global, Fondaction and General Motors.

“I am thrilled that we have reached this major milestone,” Lithion President and CEO Benoit Couture says. “From the outset, 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.”

Lithion says 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. The 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,” says Pierre Fitzgibbon, minister of economy, innovation and energy, minister responsible for regional economic development and minister responsible for the metropolis and the Montreal region. “This new plant builds upon Quebec’s industry leadership and expertise, making our province more attractive to local and international investors.”