Demand for batteries sparks activity in Quebec

The demand for minerals used in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, telephones and laptops, among others, is rising sharply around the world. Québec aims to be a leader in the production, processing and recycling of these minerals. And the results are starting to show.

Martine Letarte
special cooperation

“Graphite is the number one component in the lithium-ion battery, and we discovered our deposit, which is important in the graphite sector, in 2015, in Saint-Michel-des-Saints”, says Julie Paquet, Vice -President, Communications and ESG Strategy, at Nouveau Monde Graphite.

This is a first in Quebec. “There is a mine in operation at Lac des Iles [en Ontario], but it’s not a very big production, she adds. Most of the graphite is mined in South America, Africa and a lot in China, which also buys the rest of the production to carry out the secondary transformation, ie spherical graphite. So 100% of the production is coming out of China right now, so the dependence is total. »

Nouveau Monde Graphite, which recently announced an alliance with Mason Graphite, will therefore move forward with mining and processing. The company is currently completing the establishment of a demonstration plant: a concentrator produces flake which is then transformed into spherical graphite and goes to purification.

“This is done with chlorine, so as it is a sensitive product, we set up this operation directly at Olin in Bécancour, says Julie Paquet. We still have the coating step to put in place. Construction is being finalized and by the end of June, commissioning will be done. »

Nouveau Monde Graphite will then be able to start providing samples to potential customers. “They will ensure that our equipment meets their technical specifications, and we will be able to demonstrate that we can produce quality equipment, on a large scale, with consistency,” says Julie Paquet.

Commercial production is expected to begin around 2025.

The environmental map of Quebec

One of the cards New World Graphite has in its deck to shine with potential customers is its green side.

To offset its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Nouveau Monde Graphite buys carbon credits; it is therefore carbon neutral.

“Quebec can boast of producing the minerals with the smallest carbon footprint in the world thanks to hydroelectricity, especially since several of the strategic mineral deposits are located in southern Quebec, therefore where the network goes. says Josée Méthot, President and CEO of the Quebec Mining Association.

She points out that there is also the La Loutre graphite project, in the Laurentians, which is in development. And others to extract other types of minerals that will also be used to make batteries: one in nickel, five in lithium and two in rare earths.

“It is certain that, for electric vehicle companies, having minerals from Quebec in their batteries is advantageous when the time comes to analyze the production of GHGs, underlines Josée Méthot. But it is certain that we cannot compare the prices here with those of China, which does not have the same social and environmental rules. »

At Nouveau Monde Graphite, however, we are confident about the market. “In Europe, we are there, says Julie Paquet. Then, in North America, we recognize the trend. When consumers choose a hybrid or electric vehicle, they want their choice to be truly responsible. »