Canadian lithium miner Avalon Superior Supplies Inc. has bought land in Thunder Bay, Ont. to construct a processing plant that can join lithium mined in northwestern Ontario with battery cell producers and electric-vehicle makers in southern Ontario and the US.

The Toronto-based miner, which is creating lithium mining initiatives exterior each Kenora and Fort Hope, Ont., mentioned the commercial website on the Thunder Bay waterfront is serviced by highway, rail, energy and port infrastructure, and sits on the halfway level between its distant mines and the battery and EV hubs rising within the south.

“Whereas there’s extra work to do with our authorities and group partnerships, we’re assured we are going to assist shut the hole between rising demand and home provide of this key useful resource and assist fortify North American vitality safety,” Avalon President Zeeshan Syed mentioned in a June 19 launch.

The corporate didn’t disclose the monetary phrases of the land deal or present a timeline for when it plans to start out development on the processing plant.

The Thunder Bay buy comes lower than every week after Avalon struck a cope with Belgium-based SCR-Sibelco NV to kick-start growth of its lithium mining initiatives in northwestern Ontario.

Sibelco, a miner and industrial supplies processor with operations in 32 nations, agreed to purchase a 19.9-per-cent stake in Avalon June 15.

The 2 firms will type a three way partnership to supervise Avalon’s Kenora and Fort Hope space lithium initiatives as a part of the settlement, which is price about $63.4 million. This contains Sibelco’s $13 million funding in Avalon and its 35-million-euro ($50.4 million) contribution to the three way partnership.

Sibelco will personal a 60-per-cent curiosity within the soon-to-be fashioned three way partnership, whereas Avalon will maintain a 40-per-cent stake. The partnership will embrace Avalon’s flagship Separation Rapids lithium growth north of Kenora, in addition to its Lilypad mission close to Fort Hope, however not the lithium refinery in Thunder Bay.

To fund the acquisition of the commercial land within the Northern Ontario metropolis, Avalon mentioned it used a portion of Sibelco’s funding.

If in operation right this moment, Avalon’s deliberate lithium hydroxide plant could be the primary of its sort in Canada, although a number of rivals are making headway on developments of their very own.   

Avalon is amongst a number of early-stage miners presently advancing initiatives in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba to produce North America’s rising roster of battery cell producers with much-needed lithium. Although manufacturing stays at least a number of years away, the corporate signed a non-binding deal final September to produce battery cell maker LG Power Answer with lithium hydroxide.