WB Melback, an Ontario-based industrial construction company, has been tapped to build a $25-million solvent extraction facility at Electra Battery Material’s cobalt sulfate refinery complex in Temiskaming Shores, Ont.
The package includes concrete work, piping and electrical installation, and structural steel assembly.
While a construction agreement has not been finalized, Electra announced that it has issued a limited notice to proceed, authorizing early activities on the property. Early activities include material sequencing, demolition reviews and enabling civil and structural work. Additionally, concrete work for the leach solution filter, installation of the steel structure for the neutralization clarifier and delivery of key long-lead equipment, has already been completed.
“With key construction packages awarded, long-lead equipment delivered, and contractors mobilized on site, we are moving through the construction and toward commissioning next year. Safety remains foundational to every stage of the project, and our teams and contractors continue to maintain a disciplined approach to safe execution as we continue to advance the project,” said Paolo Toscana, Electra’s vice-president, projects and engineering.
As the mineral industry responds to rising demand for battery-grade cobalt, Electra’s investment highlights Canada’s role in supplying materials and building out a domestic supply chain.
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