Rock Tech Lithium Secures Ontario Funding for Forestry-Based Processing

The project, conducted in collaboration with Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper and Queen’s University, seeks to determine if this forestry waste can replace conventional, imported chemicals currently used to separate lithium-bearing minerals from waste rock. By localizing the supply chain for processing reagents, Rock Tech aims to enhance the sustainability of its Georgia Lake Lithium Project while simultaneously lowering operating costs.

This initiative marks the company's second venture under the provincial fund, following a successful ore-sorting program that suggested a potential 50% reduction in future concentrator capital costs. Beyond the immediate technical goals, the research will explore how integrating industrial byproducts can improve the overall economic resilience of the province’s critical minerals sector, aligning with Ontario's broader strategy to secure domestic supply chains for energy storage and advanced manufacturing.