Electra Battery Materials is constructing North America’s first cobalt refinery near Cobalt, Ontario. A CBC News feature on June 27, 2026, detailed the plant's role as a strategic non-Chinese source of cobalt sulfate.
The facility is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2027. The refinery will produce enough cobalt for approximately one million electric vehicle batteries annually.
Electra has secured a supply agreement with LG Energy Solution for a significant portion of future production. The project receives financial backing from the Canadian government and the U.S. Department of War.