Electra Battery Materials Corporation has awarded a contract valued at $8.3 million to EXP Services Inc. to provide engineering, project management, and construction management services during the construction phase of the company’s battery materials refinery project in Temiskaming Shores.

"Partnering with EXP provides Electra with the additional project and construction management support needed as we move into the final phase of refinery development," said Paolo Toscano, VP Project & Engineering. "The team is committed to safety and timely execution as we work to build capacity for a domestic supply of battery-grade materials."

The project, which is the only facility of its kind under development in North America, is entering the final phase of construction, with key civil, mechanical, and structural work completed including foundations, utilities, the solvent extraction building, and much of the installation of key solvent extraction and crystallizer equipment.

Electra’s early works program includes engineering, procurement, and construction planning activities such as finalizing detailed engineering, the completion of piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), and HAZOP reviews. It has also restarted the procurement process with the purchase of key piping and electrical components including automated valves and control systems. Site preparation and materials handling installations have also been advanced, including the establishment of laydown areas, warehousing, and logistics support for equipment and materials, positioning the project for full construction mobilization in the coming weeks.

Electra is targeting mechanical completion of the refinery in the first half of 2027, with commissioning and production in the months that follow.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce 5,100 tonnes of cobalt annually in a battery-grade cobalt sulfate, with a subsequent expansion to 6,500 tonnes of contained cobalt in sulfate per year.