Rio Tinto’s lithium strategy in Quebec

Mining giant seeks government financial support for construction of research plant

Julien Arsenault
The Press

Andre Dubuc
The Press

Quebec is included in Rio Tinto’s lithium strategy, which is canvassing the Legault government to try to obtain financial support for the construction of a research center on this star metal essential for the construction of car batteries. electrical.

Already, the expertise of the mining giant’s Quebec researchers has been called upon to help it extract “battery” quality lithium from the mining residues of its Boron mine in California. This allowed him to start a demonstration plant in this location.

The intentions of the British-Australian multinational appear in a recent update of its registration in the Register of Lobbyists of Quebec. The financial support requested from the Quebec government is not specified. The same applies to the surface area of ​​a potential lithium research center in Québec.

“We will continue to intensify our efforts to develop technologies to enhance critical minerals in Quebec and elsewhere,” said Rio Tinto spokesperson Simon Letendre in an email, without going any further.

According to the Registry, potential funding could be through a loan and would essentially be used to “support the lithium research and development plant construction project”. Rio Tinto’s steps are taken with Investissement Québec (IQ) – the investor arm of the Québec state – and three ministries (Economy and Innovation, Energy and Natural Resources and the Ministry of the Executive Council).

An eye on critical metals

The company has already made inroads in the province in the critical metals niche. On the site of its metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, where Quebec has invested 8 million, it has developed a technology to produce three tonnes of scandium annually, a critical mineral used by the aerospace and electronics industry whose demand is rising sharply.

There are about a hundred Rio Tinto researchers in Sorel-Tracy. It is reasonable to believe that its facilities located in Montérégie would be in the running to host a lithium research center if this project were to see the light of day. Even on this aspect, the mining giant remains stingy with details. Its entry in the Register is limited to saying that the place is “to be determined”.

“The technology will continue to evolve,” says Michel Jébrak, professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at UQAM and author of a book on the challenges of lithium transformation.

The expert says that Rio Tinto is also trying to get back on its feet after the failure of its gigantic lithium mine project in Serbia in January. Under popular pressure, the Serbian government decided to draw a line under what was to be Europe’s largest lithium deposit.

This project, which was to allow the mining company to extract enough lithium to allow the construction of 1 million electric vehicles per year, was to cost 2.4 billion.

“Rio Tinto has a lithium strategy and wants to turn around quickly after its failure in Serbia,” said Mr. Jébrak, adding that the company had just concluded the acquisition of a lithium project in Argentina for 825 million.

The battery sector that the Legault government wants to set up wants projects in all phases, from the mine to the battery. Rio Tinto’s ambitions would add a research and development component to the government offensive.

Quebec is aware of Rio Tinto’s projects, but did not want to comment or advance on a possible financial contribution in the lithium research file.