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technologies to assist and enhance workflows Proactive will on occasion use automation and software tools all content published by Proactive is edited and authored by humans in line with best practice in regard to content production and search engine optimisation Following a positive Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) in the March quarter Lithium Universe Ltd confirmed its decision to proceed with funding for the Bécancour Lithium Refinery in Québec The project has been assessed as economically viable delivering a strong pre-tax net present value (NPV) at an 8% discount rate of approximately US$718 million A pre-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of 21.0% and a payback period of 3.9 years are based on key pricing assumptions of US$1,170 per tonne for spodumene concentrate (SC6) and US$20,970 per tonne for battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) The project is expected to generate annual revenues of around US$383 million and deliver earnings before interest depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of approximately US$148 million Breakeven prices are estimated at approximately US$740 per tonne for SC6 and US$14,000 per tonne for Li₂CO₃ Operating costs are forecast at approximately US$3,931 per tonne with total capital expenditure estimated at US$549 million This represents an 11% increase on the previous pre-feasibility study (PFS) attributed primarily to the inclusion of a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system and cost escalation Lithium Universe Bécancour Refinery Estimated Pre-tax Cashflows  Spodumene SC6 historical prices vs LU7 Forecast and BG Lithium Carbonate historical prices vs LU7 Forecast The facility will use proven Jiangsu refinery technology to produce up to 18,270 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate primarily for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery markets Over 90% of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery manufacturing currently takes place outside North America yet the region is undergoing rapid expansion almost 1,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery production capacity is expected to come online across North America translating to a demand of approximately 850,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per year with no domestic lithium conversion facilities currently operational significant efforts are now underway to localise supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas processing the Bécancour facility is designed to process 140,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of spodumene concentrate with lithium recovery of 88% and plant availability of 86% Québec was selected for its access to low-cost hydroelectric power (US$0.04/kWh) and proximity to North American and trans-Atlantic end markets Operating costs are projected at US$3,931 per tonne of lithium carbonate—well below the US$4,525/t cost for conversion in China using Canadian feedstock Offtake discussions are underway with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) particularly those with EV supply chain exposure in North America and Europe Lithium Universe’s model includes take-or-pay pricing mechanisms and risk-sharing features ensuring stability for both parties while supporting localisation of lithium conversion capacity Two strategic partnerships were also announced The first is a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lafarge Canada Inc for the exclusive offtake of aluminosilicate by-product an additive to cement that enhances strength and sustainability The second is a collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal to develop lithium processing capabilities and educational programs supporting critical minerals expertise in Canada Lithium Universe intends to bring in one or two strategic equity partners at the project level (up to 49%) and is appointing a debt advisor to secure financing The company will also continue environmental and permitting assessments in coordination with government and local First Nations stakeholders Given its current cash balance of A$0.2 million at March 31 the company anticipates requiring up to US$550 million to fund development To conserve capital and focus on the Bécancour project the company relinquished its remaining Canadian exploration tenements during the quarter with an end-of-quarter cash position of A$165,000 Lithium Universe is monitoring its financial position and will look for further funding to support ongoing activities when required Sign up to receive alerts and news direct to your inbox OTC:LUVSF) CEO Alex Hanly spoke with Proactive’s Tylah Tully about the company’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lafarge Canada and its strategic focus on Aluminosilicate Secondary Product (ACSR).Lafarge a subsidiary of global cement and concrete leader.. All Rights Reserved - Proactive North America Inc. Market Indices, Commodities and Regulatory News Headlines copyright © Morningstar. Data delayed 15 minutes unless otherwise indicated. Terms of use You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 254 of 255 polls are reporting as of 4:19 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 254 of 255 polls are reporting as of 4:19 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak Plamondon has 25,028 of 53,650 votes (46.65%) is in second place with 14,702 votes (27.4%) and Michel Plourde Plamondon has represented the riding since 1997 Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel—Alnôbak used to be named Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 18,511 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account 254 of 255 polls are reporting as of 4:12 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 254 of 255 polls are reporting as of 4:12 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Torstar Open Data Team produces articles using data and automation beach water quality reports and election results The team is Lucas Timmons and Cody Gault with support from the Star and Metroland’s editorial and technical teams 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Laurentide Controls a leading provider of automation and reliability solutions is proud to announce the construction of a new center in Bécancour marking the eight office and sixth maintenance and repair center for the company in Eastern Canada scheduled to open by Fall 2025 will be a significant milestone in Laurentide's commitment to supporting the growing needs of its industrial partners in the Vallée de la transition énergétique (VTE) has been awarded the construction contract with the building scheduled for completion by Fall 2025 Located on a 150,000-square-foot site with a 20,000-square-foot infrastructure Laurentide's establishment in Bécancour will serve as a hub for a comprehensive range of essential services These services will encompass an assembly and repair shop and local industrial maintenance activities Laurentide will provide crucial support in instrumentation and electrical services A key aspect of this expansion is the creation of a customer experience centre This centre will enable clients and partners to access staging services This initiative aims to support our partners on the path to operational excellence by helping them grow and excel in their respective fields expresses the company's enthusiasm for this strategic expansion: "We are thrilled to support our partners in the development of a thriving industry within the Vallée de la transition énergétique Our presence in Bécancour underscores our commitment to delivering reliable solutions to address both current and future challenges faced by our clients throughout the lifecycle of their operations Our purpose is to Help Industry Thrive in Eastern Canada and this exciting investment will enhance our ability to do so for years to come." emphasizes the company's dedication to community engagement: "We are enthusiastic about contributing to the development of the Vallée de la transition énergétique and integrating into Bécancour's community as a corporate citizen Our goal is to foster meaningful connections and play a role in the region's growth." Laurentide will increase the total area of its Service and Repair Centres in Eastern Canada to nearly 40,000 square feet further solidifying its position as a pillar in the regional industrial landscape Laurentide Controls is a leading provider of automation and reliability solutions in Eastern Canada Laurentide is committed to delivering high-quality products and technical expertise to empower its partners to excel in their industries Viterra workers in Bécancour to start tenth week on strike Unifor members at the Viterra canola and soybean processing and refining plant in Bécancour the 85 members of Local 2022 have shown exemplary determination in the face of the employer's inadequate proposals The parties have continued to negotiate in the presence of a conciliator but unfortunately the employer persists in making unacceptable offers and shows no real willingness to settle the dispute We warmly invite all Unifor members to come and support our colleagues on the picket line Each visit brings valuable motivation and energy to our members in the struggle Cheques can be made payable to Unifor Local 2022 and sent to the attention of: Unifor Trois-Rivièresc/o Marc-André Paré7080 boul The members at Viterra would like to express their deep gratitude to all those who have already lent their support Your solidarity is a tremendous source of motivation for our striking members We thank Alexandre Leduc of Québec Solidaire and Louis Plamondon Bloc Québécois MP for Bécancour-Nicolet-Saurel whose presence on the picket line was greatly appreciated Their support is crucial in keeping up the pressure on the employer and showing that our struggle is supported beyond the union TSX: NOU) released its updated technical feasibility study report for the Matawinie mine and Becancour battery material plant integrated graphite projects The company conducted the updated study in accordance with the National Instrument 43-101 BBA conducted the updated feasibility study. BBA and various specialized consultants pulled data from NMG’s 2022 feasibility study and updated key parameters in light of technological development The updated feasibility study indicated NMG’s phase 2 is technically feasible as well as economically viable NMG could build the Matawinie mine and Bécancour battery material plant within less than three years the mine would enter commercial production The Matawinie graphite property is located approximately 120 km north of Montreal in Saint-Michel-des-Saints NMG’s Becancour site is located adjacent to its phase-1 purification plant The plan it located about 150 km northeast of Montreal on the Saint Lawrence River in the heart of Quebec’s “battery valley.” said: “The underlying driver for NMG’s ore-to-battery-material business is undeniable we are focused on delivering on our mission to responsibly produce carbon-neutral advanced graphite materials to power the energy transition Today’s results demonstrate the attractive operation that we have engineered within a stable jurisdiction and underpinned by high ESG principles to help North American manufacturers secure and reshore their supply chain.” NMG has developed an integrated material flowsheet to maximize the production of high-value active anode material destined to the battery market segments the two facilities are set to operate in tandem to maximize operational efficiencies and margins along the value chain The updated feasibility study incorporates NMG’s supply agreements with Panasonic Energy as well as market studies by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence a regulated and independent price reporting agency NMG’s previously announced offtake agreements which are subject to completion of conditions precedent and the project-related agreements with its Anchor Customers provide visibility The Matawinie mine remains the same as reflected in NMG’s previous technical report The updated feasibility study considers revised key parameters and costs leveraging advancement in the project since the 2022 report as well as optimization of operations between the two phase-2 facilities The confirmation of NMG’s phase-2 viability through the updated feasibility study enables the company to enter its project financing stage with a view to reach final investment decision More information is posted on www.NMG.com and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Canadian Mining Journal provides information on new Canadian mining and exploration trends corporate developments and industry events Source: Lithium Universe Ltd Contact: Alex Hanly Chief Executive Officer Lithium Universe Limited Tel: +61 448 418 725 Email: info@lithiumuniverse.com Iggy Tan Chairman Lithium Universe Limited Email: info@lithiumuniverse.com News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia Lithium Universe’s mine-to-battery-grade lithium strategy offers investors a compelling opportunity to capitalize on the rapidly expanding battery metals market The company's business model focuses on converting spodumene supplies under "take or pay" agreements with OEMs These agreements include protective pricing mechanisms to ensure stable margins and mitigate market volatility This approach guarantees our LU7 refinery's payback while providing OEMs with a reliable and sustainable supply of lithium chemicals North America anticipates a surge in battery manufacturing with over 20 major manufacturers planning to deploy an estimated 1,000 GW of battery capacity These are companies such as General Motors Assuming the planned battery manufacturing capacity of 1,000 GW by 2028 using a ratio of 850 g lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per KWh the company estimates that 850,000 tons of LCE per annum will be required to satisfy demand in North America On the supply side, Canada has surpassed China to claim the top spot in BloombergNEF’s Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Ranking, a comprehensive annual evaluation of 30 countries’ potential to develop secure, reliable, and sustainable lithium-ion battery supply chains Québec has been established as one of the most prospective regions with over 40 companies dedicated to lithium exploration and development The cumulative lithium resource in just Québec exceeds 500Mt at +1 percent lithium oxide across eight distinct projects which has increased over 100 percent within the last 12 months Many companies have plans to develop mines and concentrating facilities to produce spodumene concentrate Figure 1: Projected US EV Battery Demand and Announced Battery Production Capacity (2022-2032) Spodumene concentrate needs to be converted to battery-grade lithium carbonate or hydroxide to be used in the production of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries there are no operational converters in North America and the company estimates approximately only 100,000 tons of planned hard rock converters are slated for construction in the region The region seeks to decrease dependence on Chinese lithium converters aligning with both commercial and national security goals acknowledging the significance of energy security has intensified efforts to reduce Chinese involvement in the sector as part of a “decoupling” or “de-risking” strategy mirroring the actions taken by the United States In a bid to advance further development of lithium supply chain in Canada, Lithium Universe and Polytechnique Montréal have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at advancing lithium processing technologies and strengthening the local supply chain for critical battery materials in Canada. The collaboration, outlined in a memorandum of understanding research and innovation in areas of mutual interest with a primary focus on building Canadian expertise in the lithium battery sector The company’s strategy involves assembling a seasoned team of lithium experts renowned for rapidly delivering successful projects boasting extensive expertise in both hard rock lithium extraction and downstream operations Lithium Universe is headed by the chairman who is considered a pioneer in the modern lithium industry Tan was one of the first Australian mining executives to recognize the potential of the emerging lithium-ion battery industry He led Galaxy Resources and built the Mt Cattlin spodumene project (137,000 tpa of spodumene product) and the downstream Jiangsu lithium carbonate project (with a capacity of 17,000 tpa) This was the first large-scale vertically integrated mine-to-battery-grade lithium carbonate project in the world Joining Iggy on the board are Pat Scallan and Dr Scallan is a seasoned veteran of the lithium industry with over 25 years of managing the world-class Greenbushes Mine increasing annual output from 200,000 in 1997 to over 1.4 million tpa today Liu is widely regarded as a leading technical expert in the lithium industry He was previously the general manager of development and technologies at Galaxy Resources where he was responsible for overseeing the construction and commissioning of the Mt Cattlin spodumene project and the world-renowned Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant Liu has acted as a special adviser to various lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide projects globally Additional Dream Team members include Terry Stark who previously served as the general manager of operations for both Mt Cattlin and James Bay projects; Roger Pover with extensive experience as plant manager at Greenbushes and Mt Cattlin; and Huy Nguyen known for his expertise in the design and construction of the Mt Cattlin mine who was involved in the construction of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant for Hatch Engineering former CFO and company secretary of Galaxy Resources pivotal in financing both projects assumes the role of chief financial officer role at Lithium Universe marking a significant addition to the LU7 team's financial expertise in the lithium domain The Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant was designed to produce 17,000 tpa of battery-grade lithium carbonate It adopted advanced Western style continuous process control techniques setting a standard for lithium refineries globally and its battery-grade product ranks among the industry's finest Constructing and achieving steady-state quality was accomplished within two years of ground-breaking Lithium Universe plans to replicate the successful design of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant entirely equipment and engineering firm – mitigating the second major risk Lithium Universe has contracted Hatch Limited to conduct the definitive feasibility study (DFS) the same engineering company responsible for the original design and construction of the Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant Lithium Universe is advancing a mine-to-battery-grade lithium carbonate strategy in Canada through the Québec Lithium Processing Hub (QLPH) The QLPH includes a multi-purpose independent 1 Mtpa concentrator and an independent 16,000 tpa battery-grade lithium carbonate refinery The QLPH concentrator and lithium carbonate plant aim to replicate the proven success of the Mt Cattlin spodumene operation and Jiangsu lithium carbonate plant to minimize startup and operational risks Figure 2: The Company’s proposed lithium carbonate refinery at layout at Bécancour The company has successfully executed an option agreement to acquire a commercial property in the Bécancour Waterfront Industrial Park (BWIP) between Québec City and Montréal The industrial land secured is only 2.5 kms to the Bécancour deep-water port allowing the import of spodumene to the facility The company is taking a significant step towards the production of greener battery-grade lithium carbonate at the proposed Becancour lithium refinery “The strong NPV and returns for the project indicate an economically viable project and the Board has made the Financial Investment Decision (FID) and the project is now proceeding to the funding stage..." He added that the company will continue discussions with interested OEMs with spodumene offtake supply seeking conversion outside of China Lithium Universe has initiated metallurgical testing on various sources of spodumene This process involves utilizing the flow sheet developed for the Québec Lithium Processing Hub refinery and no challenges have been identified with any of the spodumene samples Each test program is thorough and spans several weeks with two complete programs already concluded successfully achieving higher than the international battery grade specification of 99.5 percent lithium carbonate All impurity levels were well within specification limits LU7 has signed a memorandum of understanding with Servitank that specializes in optimizing supply chain processes and logistics solutions across various industries The partnership aims to optimize supply chain processes and enhance the operational efficiency of both companies in the rapidly growing lithium sector a trailblazer of the modern lithium industry was one of the first Australian mining executives to identify the significant opportunity within the emerging lithium-ion battery sector when he spearheaded Galaxy Resources Limited Tan is looking to replicate that success with Lithium Universe having built Galaxy’s Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project and the downstream Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate project He also acquired the James Bay Spodumene Project in Canada and the Sal de Vida Brine Project in Argentina for Galaxy the company’s market capitalization was less than AU$10 million It rose to AU$2.5 billion when the company merged with Orocobre Limited in August 2021 Tan's previous experience working with lithium dates back to the early 1990s when he briefly managed the Greenbushes Lithium Mine and commissioned the first lithium carbonate plant for Gwalia Consolidated Alex Hanly has over 10 years of experience in capital delivery and operational management for publicly listed companies within the mining, oil & gas, and manufacturing industries in Australia and Africa. Over the last three years, Hanly held the role of chief executive officer of ASX-listed gold company Polymetals Resources (ASX:POL) He was responsible for the successful IPO of the company the operational management and the efficient execution of the fast-track strategy Hanly has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Master of Business Administration specialising in global project management Patrick Scallan’s extensive experience in the lithium industry is a valuable addition to the LGX board With over 25 years of management experience at the world-class Greenbushes Mine Greenbushes is the largest lithium hard rock mine globally and also hosts the highest-grade ore body in the world as no other lithium deposit worldwide compares to it Scallan oversaw the mine’s many expansions increasing annual output from 200,000 in 1997 to 1.4 million tpa today and navigated numerous ownership changes during his tenure He is a specialist in hard rock mining and spodumene concentrating with downstream relationships with major spodumene converters worldwide Scallan is also highly skilled in managing local community relationships having acted as shire councillor for nearly 20 years during his time at Greenbushes receiving his Order of Australia Medal for his community and local government contribution His previous roles include management positions at Capel and Eneabba Mineral Sands in Western Australia and Western Deep Levels Gold Mine in South Africa Dr Jingyuan Liu is widely regarded as a leading technical expert in the lithium industry He previously held the position of general manager of development and technologies at Galaxy Resources where he was responsible for overseeing the construction and commissioning of the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project and the world-renowned Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate plant Liu also played a key role in designing the flow sheet for the Sal de Vida brine project he has acted as a special adviser to various lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide projects globally including the Lithium Hydroxide Plant operated by Tianqi in Kwinana Liu has over 30 years’ experience in project management process and equipment design for minerals processing and the chemicals He was awarded a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Newcastle Australia and has worked in senior chemical engineering roles with leading companies such as Hatch Engineering and Metso Minerals in Australia and Malaysia He is currently chief technology officer for Altech Batteries (ASX:ATC) developing high capacity silicon anode lithium-ion batteries Sobolewski is a chartered accountant and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors His previous roles include managing director and CEO with Mintrex Galaxy Resources Limited and Vital Metals Limited financial controller and company secretary with Croesus Mining NL and group accountant and company secretary with Titan Resources NL Justin Rivers possesses more than 20 years of senior executive technical and commercial experience in Africa North America and South America in the major and junior space with a particular focus on Iron Ore and Gold He has a well-tenured strategic and tactical approach to the mining industry with intimate commercial business development and M&A experience in Tier-1 publicly listed and private equity environments Rivers held the position of executive director and CEO of Mauritian domiciled private equity company Convertible Resources driving strategic development of its gold projects in the Siguiri region of northeast Guinea He has a Bachelor of Science (first class honours) majoring in geology and environmental science from the University of Tasmania Terry Stark was previously managing director - resources division for Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY) where he was responsible for all of Galaxy’s mineral resources assets such as exploration and mine operations Stark oversaw the Mt Cattlin construction and subsequent successful start-up He also managed the Galaxy James Bay project and had a good relationship with the local Cree Nation Stark holds a Bachelor of Applied Science specialising in mining engineering John Loxton's lithium experience commenced in 2010 with work on the Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate Plant EPCM for Galaxy Resources in China where his responsibilities initially were at a Sponsor level He was the project manager for the final stages of construction and commissioning Loxton was engaged by Tianqi Lithium as head of projects for the execution of their investment in a lithium hydroxide processing plant in Kwinana He managed the commissioning of the first train achieving the first product in 2021 and undertook execution planning and establishing a project team for an identical second train in 2022 Loxton is a project manager with over 45 years of experience across a diverse range of energy Roger Pover was previously the Mt Cattlin plant manager for Galaxy Resources (ASX:GXY) He was part of the commissioning and start up team and operated the plant for many years Pover also directed all optimisation modifications made at Mt Cattlin Pover is a veteran in the lithium industry having commenced his career at Greenbushes Lithium mine in the early 90s He has a 45-year career in the mining and chemical processing industries involving mineral sands Huy Nguyen has been seconded from Mintrex to act as Lithium Universe Limited’s engineering client representative Mintrex was the lead engineering company that designed and constructed (together with DRA Global) the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Plant Nguyen was part of the construction supervision when Mt Cattlin was built so he is experienced with not only the design but also the construction process that delivered a project on time and on budget Nguyen has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Curtin University Master of Business Administration and a member of Engineer Australia Closing the Lithium Conversion Gap in North America Download the PDF here. Download the PDF here. Download the PDF here. Download the PDF here. Download the PDF here. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market Source: Altech Batteries Ltd Contact: Corporate Iggy Tan Managing Director Altech Batteries Limited Tel: +61-8-6168-1555 Email: info@altechgroup.com Martin Stein Chief Financial Officer Altech Batteries Limited Tel: +61-8-6168-1555 Email: info@altechgroup.com Saga Metals Corp. ("SAGA" or the "Company") (TSXV: SAGA) (OTCQB: SAGMF) (FSE: 20H) a North American exploration company focused on critical mineral discovery is pleased to announce drill results from its 2025 maiden drill program at the Radar Ti-V-Fe Project located near the port of Cartwright in Labrador The central zone of the Dykes River layered mafic intrusive complex exhibits a strong accurate magnetic-high anomaly in regional magnetic surveys The Company further defined its drill targets in 2024 ground-based geophysical program and surface sampling The initial 7-hole drill program (2,200 meters) has confidently tested the targets down to a depth of 200 meters covering a 500-meter by 350-meter target panel Figure 1: 500m strike by 350m width magnetic anomaly drilled in winter 2025 program. (2024 Saga Metals Saga Metals Confirms Geological Success with the Drill: Key drill intercepts from HEZ-01 & HEZ-04 (2 holes of the 7-hole program) include: Table 1: Composite grades of HEZ-01 & HEZ-04 The SAGA team looked in detail at the assays of HEZ-01 & HEZ 04 and the geochemistry shows consistent relationship to Fe-Ti-V Findings include over 200 meters of core in HEZ-04 and 130m in HEZ-01 which calculate over 25% titanomagnetite content of the sample and a promising group of samples such as a few seen in Table 2 which range as much as 60% titanomagnetite content Table 2: High-grade samples in correlation to higher Titanomagnetite content in samples Drilling also confirmed massive to semi-massive oxide layering hosting titanium and vanadium mineralization with significant widths up to 210 meters within the drill core Al Miller's petrographic studies has substantially advanced understanding of the Radar projects mineralization These findings indicate a titanomagnetite mineralization system which is advantageous for simplified metallurgical processing and potentially improved economic outcomes The 2025 drill campaign represents 1/40 th of the approximately 20km long oxide layering zone identified at the Radar project. Following these encouraging results, Saga Metals plans to systematically expand exploration using proven and accurate methodologies—magnetic surveys followed by targeted drilling "We are very encouraged by these initial drilling results," commented Michael Garagan, CGO & Director of Saga Metals "They validate our geological models and significantly expand our expectations for the entire Radar property The Hawkeye Zone is just one of five primary targets currently identified; excitingly this zone remains one of the smallest prospects Our strategy moving forward will involve methodically advancing exploration and drilling at our highest-priority targets The door is now open to roll out a standardized order of operations We know these layers are anomalous based upon surface geochemistry Exploration moving forward is ‘magnetic survey - drill – repeat' as we begin to survey the entirety of the oxide layering zone and prepare to identify the most prospective targets for the next drill program." Figure 2: The prospective inferred ~20km aerial oxide layering zone on the Radar property Compilation analytical geophysics as acquired from historical sources which SAGA has proven confidence in after the 2024 field programs The Company's 100%-owned Radar Property is located 10 km from the coastal city of Cartwright benefiting from tremendous infrastructure including The Radar Property comprises 21,750-hectares and entirely encloses the Dykes River intrusive complex The Dykes River intrusive complex is a recently recognized Mesoproterozoic layered mafic intrusion (Gower It has gained attention due geological similarities to large AMCG-type intrusions and a very extensive titanium–vanadium–iron (Ti-V-Fe) rich layer Regional airborne magnetic surveys first highlighted the mafic oxide layer and indicated an arcuate 20 km long exploration target Figure 3: Map of the Radar project highlighting the oxide layering as well as road access and proximity to the town of Cartwright About Saga Metals Corp Saga Metals Corp is a North American mining company focused on the exploration and discovery of critical minerals that support the global transition to green energy This project features uranium radiometrics that highlight an 18km east-west trend with a confirmed 14km section producing samples as high as 0.428% U 3 O 8 and uranium uranophane was identified in several areas of highest radiometric response (2024 Double Mer Technical Report) SAGA owns the Legacy Lithium Property in Quebec's Eeyou Istchee James Bay region has been expanded through the acquisition of the Amirault Lithium Project these properties cover 65,849 hectares and share significant geological continuity with other major players in the area SAGA also holds additional exploration assets in Labrador where the company is focused on the discovery of titanium With a portfolio that spans key minerals crucial to the green energy transition SAGA is strategically positioned to play an essential role in the clean energy future For more information, contact: Saga Metals Corp. Investor Relations Tel: +1 (778) 930-1321 Email: info@SAGAmetals.com www.SAGAmetals.com The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Geo is an Independent Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information related to the Radar Ti-V Project disclosed in this news release This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws that are not historical facts Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will" and similar expressions or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the Company's Radar project drill assays There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include changes in the state of equity and debt markets delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals risks and uncertainties involved in the mineral exploration and development industry and the risks detailed in the Company's final prospectus in Manitoba and amended and restated final prospectus for British Columbia filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations from time to time The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks many of which are beyond the control of the Company The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable law Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bd6c2183-a69b-4814-9dfa-46184799bfcf https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cad7879b-f21f-49af-9809-44b25895bc37 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47915200-fc3f-450c-898a-e1f5c03452e9 News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES (ii) 7,000,000 hard dollar common share units of the Company (the " HD Units " the " Securities ") at C$0.25 per HD Unit for gross proceeds of C$1,750,000 (collectively Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share (a " FT Share ") as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the " Tax Act ") and one transferable common share purchase warrant (a " Warrant ") Each Warrant will entitle its holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company (a " Warrant Share ") at a price of C$0.50 for 24 months from the closing date of the Offering (the " Closing Date ") The Warrants and the Warrant Shares underlying the FT Units will not qualify as "flow-through shares" under the Tax Act Each HD Unit consists of one common share (a " HD Share ") and one Warrant Each Warrant will entitle its holder to purchase one Warrant Share at a price of C$0.50 for 24 months from the Closing Date Each of the Warrants will be subject to the right of the Company to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to a date that is 30 days following dissemination of a news release announcing such acceleration if, at any time, after the Closing Date, the closing price of the Company's common shares equals or exceeds C$0.75 for a period of ten consecutive trading days on the TSX Venture Exchange All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months and one day following the Closing Date pursuant to applicable securities laws The Company may pay finder's fees in connection with the Offering The gross proceeds from the FT Units will be used by the Company for "Canadian exploration expenses" that are "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" (as such terms are defined in the Tax Act) on the Company's Labrador including the Company's flagship asset The net proceeds of the HD Units will be used by the Company for administrative and general working capital The securities of SAGA have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 unless exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S Securities Act and applicable state securities laws are available No securities regulatory authority has reviewed or approved of the contents of this news release This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of SAGA in any jurisdiction in which such offer Digital Marketing Services Agreement with Machai Capital Inc The Company further reports that it entered into a digital marketing services agreement dated May 1 2025 (the " Marketing Agreement ") with Machai Capital Inc provide the Company with certain marketing services to expand investor awareness of the Company's business and to communicate with the investment community (the " Machai   Services ") The Machai Services will be provided by Machai over a 60-day term The Marketing Agreement may be terminated at any time by mutual consent of both parties content and data optimization to assist the Company to create in-depth marketing campaigns organizing and executing the Machai Services through search engine optimization and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Marketing Agreement the Company has agreed to pay Machai a fee of C$200,000 (plus applicable taxes) over a 60-day term which will be paid using the Company's available working capital This agreement may be terminated at any time The Machai Services will be rendered primarily online through a variety of news and investment community communications channels the President of Machai – located at 101 – 17565 – 58 Avenue V3S 4E3 – will be involved in conducting the Machai Services or any right or intent to acquire such an interest The terms and conditions of the Marketing Agreement remain subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange Consulting Agreement with Simone Capital Corp the Company reports that it entered into a consulting agreement dated May 1 2025 (the " Consulting Agreement ") with Simone Capital Corp provide the Company with consulting and marketing services consisting of non-deal or deal roadshows coordinating introductory meetings and presentations with potential investors daily outreach to the investment community email and social media marketing campaigns webinars and capital markets advisory services (the " Simone Services ") The Simone Services will be provided by Simone Capital over a term beginning on May 5 2025 and remain in effect for 180 days or until the Consulting Agreement is terminated The Consulting Agreement may be terminated: (i) immediately by the Company if Simone Capital does not fulfill or perform the Simone Services outlined in the Consulting Agreement and (ii) by either party upon 15 days' advance written notice to the other party during the contract term and pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Consulting Agreement the Company has agreed to pay Simone Capital a fee of C$10,000 per month (plus applicable taxes) for the Simone Services The Simone Services will be rendered primarily online through a variety of news and investment community communications channels the President of Simone Capital – with at head office located at Suite 201 M3J 2J1 – will be involved in conducting the Simone Services The terms and conditions of the Consulting Agreement remain subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange For more information, contact: Saga Metals Corp. Investor Relations Tel: +1 (778) 930-1321 Email: info@sagametals.com www.sagametals.com The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the Company's plans and objectives in respect of the terms and conditions of the Offering the receipt of the Machai Services and Simone Services and the terms of the Marketing Agreement and the Consulting Agreement The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable securities law Aben Minerals Ltd. (TSX-V: ABM ) (OTCQB: ABNAF ) (Frankfurt: R26 ) ("Aben" or "the Company") announces change of name to Aben Gold Corp ., effective at market open on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, as approved by the TSX Venture Exchange The Company's share capitalization and trading symbol will remain the same The Company's new CUSIP number is 00289A109 and the transfer agent of the Company continues to be Computershare Investor Services Inc No action will be required by existing shareholders with respect to the name change Shareholders holding share certificates of the Company can request a replacement certificate however new certificates are not required and will not be automatically issued the website www.abengold.com will be active as the primary URL for the Company management and the board of directors believes that this name change reflects the focus of the Company more appropriately Aben Minerals is a Canadian gold exploration company with exploration projects in the Yukon Territory and British Columbia 100% owned Justin Gold Project is located in the southeast Yukon in the Tintina Gold Belt adjacent to Seabridge Gold's 3 Aces Project Aben Minerals also owns 100% of the Forrest Kerr Gold Project located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia and shares claims borders with Skeena's KSP Project The Company's goal is to increase shareholder value through new discoveries and developing exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions The Company has 23.2 million shares outstanding Twitter LinkedIn "Riley Trimble" ______________________ For further information contact: Aben Minerals Ltd. Riley Trimble, President & CEO Telephone: 604-639-3852 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@abenminerals.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" that address events or developments that management of the Company expects Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements continued availability of capital and financing Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedarplus.ca for further information The Offering was originally announced on February 5 The upsized Offering is comprised of up to 57,000,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.015 per share for gross proceeds of up to $855,000 the Company closed the first tranche the Offering and issued 23,666,666 common shares at $0.015 per share for proceeds of $355,000 The proposed payments from the first tranche proceeds included $183,600 to pay the outstanding fees to non-arm's length creditors Proceeds of the private placement will be used primarily for general working capital purposes The payments to persons conducting Investor Relations Activities shall not exceed 10% of the proceeds Closing of the Offering is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date under applicable Canadian securities laws It is anticipated that some directors and insiders will participate in the future tranches of the Offering The issue of shares (to the extent subscribed for by insiders) constitute "related party transactions" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as the subscribers include directors of the Company The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the shares in reliance on the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the shares does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization About International Lithium Corp. While the world's politicians are currently divided on the future of the energy market's historic dependence on oil and gas and on "Net Zero" there seems a clear and unstoppable momentum towards electric vehicles and electric battery storage We have also seen the clear and increasingly urgent wish by the USA and Canada and other major economies to safeguard their supplies of critical metals and to become more self-sufficient Our key mission in the next decade is to make money for our shareholders from lithium and other battery metals and rare metals while at the same time playing our part in creating a greener This includes optimizing the value of our existing projects in Canada as well as finding exploring and developing projects that have the potential to become world class deposits We have announced separately that we regard Zimbabwe as an important strategic target market for ILC and that we have applied for and hope to receive EPOs there We hope to be able to make announcements over the next few weeks and months The Company's interests in various projects now consists of the following and in addition the Company continues to seek other opportunities: The Company's primary strategic focus at this point is on the Raleigh Lake lithium and rubidium project and the Firesteel copper project in Canada and on obtaining EPOs and mineral claims in Zimbabwe The Raleigh Lake Project now consists of 32,900 hectares (329 square kilometres) of mineral claims in Ontario and is ILC's most significant project in Canada. Drilling has so far been on less than 1,000 hectares of our claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment( PEA) was published for ILC's lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023 with detailed economic analysis of ILC's separate rubidium resource still to come A continuing goal has been to remain a well-funded company to turn our aspirations into reality and following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021 the Mavis Lake project in Canada in January 2022 and the Avalonia project in 2024 (sale not completed yet) ILC has achieved sufficient inward cashflow to be able to make progress with its exploration projects With the increasing demand for high tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electrical storage as well as portable electronics lithium has been designated "the new oil" and is a key part of a green energy sustainable economy By positioning itself with projects with significant resource potential and with solid strategic partners ILC aims to be one of the lithium and rare metals resource developers of choice for investors and to continue to build value for its shareholders in the '20s www.internationallithium.ca For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-449-6520 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate uncertainties or other factors materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements and competitive uncertainties and contingencies These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/250515 Investing News Network websites or approved third-party tools use cookies. Please refer to the cookie policy for collected data Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The Bécancour Port and Industrial Park has received an investment of $163.8 million for a total investment of up to $327.6 million for a project that includes the refurbishment and expansion of port infrastructure the addition of storage capacity and other measures to improve port access and fluidity in the Bécancour Waterfront Industrial Park The investment comes from the federal government in partnership with the Government of Quebec with improvements aimed at reducing congestion optimizing storage space and diversifying the park’s activities They will also enable the site to meet the needs of new and emerging markets a strategic sector for the economic future of Quebec and Canada “This announcement marks a significant step towards improving the port infrastructure and services provided by the SPIPB,” said Donald Olivier Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (SPIPB) “Our teams are proudly leading the deployment of major projects and I’m grateful for their tireless efforts I feel privileged to contribute to such achievements in my region.” The investment aims to help the port be better equipped to support the growth of industries linked to batteries and other green technologies This project will reinforce Bécancour’s position as a key hub for the battery industry in North America contributing to Canada’s energy transition and job creation in the Mauricie region Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Privacy Policy Message Invalid character found in the request target [/leaders-tour/episode/yves-francois-blanchet-speaks-with-reporters-in-becancour-quebec?id\u003d4b318dd0-94e9-4119-affa-c62223893951 ] The valid characters are defined in RFC 7230 and RFC 3986 Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g. Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs MontrealNews1 dead, 1 seriously injured after truck collides with car in BecancourBy The Canadian PressPublished: November 13, 2024 at 7:54PM EST Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Unifor members working for Viterra Canada go on strike in Bécancour The 85 members of Local 2022 working at Viterra Canada's canola and soybean processing and refining plant in Bécancour began strike action on May 26 following a unanimous strike vote taken earlier in the month The workers are denouncing the inadequacy of the employer's proposals after eight fruitless negotiation sessions it is clear that the employer's monetary offer is simply inadequate The proposed wage increases fall far short of our members' expectations there is virtually no improvement in terms of leave or holidays We have already had to turn down numerous demands from the employer for concessions,’ says Marc-André Paré national representative for Unifor Québec.  “Our members lost about 5% of their purchasing power to inflation over the life of the last agreement and the employer refuses to take that into account Since the beginning of its acquisition of the Bécancour plant the employer has shown a constant lack of respect towards its employees This is why the executive committee chose the theme of respect from the outset of negotiations The plant has experienced many difficulties since it was commissioned in 2010 and it is thanks to the hard work of our members that the employer is now profitable and boasts production records We want our fair share of this success,’ said Paré expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation: ‘Although negotiations took place in a generally positive climate we were surprised by the series of refusals on monetary issues The wage offer put forward by the employer is grossly inadequate given the rise in the cost of living over the last few years The employer is willfully blind in considering its offers to be competitive at a time when the battery industry is developing in Bécancour Unifor is Canada's largest private sector union representing more than 320,000 workers in all major sectors of the economy The union defends all workers and their rights fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create better and safer working conditions for all For further information: Véronique Figliuzzi, Communications Officer, Unifor-Québec, @email BÉCANCOUR, QC and THETFORD, QC, Aug. 7, 2024 /CNW/ -- Deep Sky the Canadian carbon removal project developer has made significant progress on its carbon removal projects in Québec The work includes pre-feasibility studies in Bécancour and Thetford Mines to assess the geologic potential for carbon storage Thoughtful community engagement work is underway in each location ensuring transparent communication with local residents and stakeholders The long-term goal for both projects is to provide carbon storage to Québec's industrial sector as the province aims to become a leader in decarbonization Deep Sky has also begun early planning of commercial carbon removal projects in Québec that would help remove the remaining emissions that are harder to abate If feasibility studies in Bécancour and Thetford Mines demonstrate the right geology for carbon storage this will be accomplished by building high-quality carbon removal facilities in both Bécancour and Thetford Mines with potential expansion opportunities in other regions of the province The facilities will ultimately handle full-service capture and sequestration on site playing a key role in the fight against climate change Québec has all of the natural resources and conditions for engineered C02 removal with its vast natural resources including water Deep Sky is ensuring all preparatory steps are executed including environmental studies and geophysical surveys to confirm optimal geology before subsequent phases are deployed Deep Sky began a pre-feasibility study in July to analyze the geological characteristics of land within the Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (SPIPB) and surrounding areas in order to confirm more precisely its potential for CO2 sequestration It's the largest 3D geology project that's ever taken place east of Manitoba The very first step is high integrity geological environmental assessments and subsurface (underground) is tested to confirm its sequestration potential This is akin to a harmless ultrasound of the ground which sends soundwaves to produce a 3D model of the below ground architecture field teams are placing acoustic detectors on the target land to measure the reflected vibrations off the underground geology The energy sources create soundwaves that penetrate over 3km towards the center of the earth These soundwaves reflect off different rock types creating a 3D 'ultrasound' of the subsurface Social acceptability began in May while the geology study began in July and will take approximately 6-8 months for final results Deep Sky is partnering with Quebec-based Geostack and with scientists at Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) on the pre-feasibility study "The Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour (SPIPB) believes that CO2 capture and storage must be part of the energy transition and the aim of the geological study is to confirm whether the Bécancour subsoil is suitable for storage," said Donald Olivier the SPIPB wishes to highlight Deep Sky's commitment through its communication activities as well as the time devoted to dialoguing with citizens and companies to ensure listening and transparency." "I've been following Deep Sky's efforts to develop innovative carbon storage processes in Québec with great interest," said Donald Martel Nicolet-Becancour and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy this initiative is a promising step towards our goal of making Québec a leader in decarbonation." a similar pre-feasibility project is being conducted to determine the mineralization potential for carbon sequestration A geophysical mapping survey is generating a better understanding of the subsurface while rock samples are being studied to determine the mineralization potential Deep Sky aims to use a process known as in-situ mineralization where CO2 is injected into underground CO2-reactive rocks When injected into subsurface mafic and ultramafic rock the CO2 dissolved in water is permanently sequestered as calcite rock and with no chance of returning to the atmosphere we believe Québec can be a leader in reversing climate change," said Fred Lalonde "Our projects in Bécancour and Thetford Mines are aimed at providing carbon storage to Québec's industrial sector as the province intends to become a leader in decarbonization Bécancour is part of the Energy Transition Valley where a collaborative ecosystem is accelerating the energy transition." "We support Deep Sky's carbon removal project in Bécancour which aims to achieve a sustainable transition that matches Quebec's ambition," said Alain Lemieux President and CEO of Vallée de la Transition Énergétique (VTE) "Supporting these decarbonization innovations allows us to contribute to accelerating Quebec's energy transition." Community engagement is a key element of Deep Sky's work in Bécancour and Thetford Mines and personalized resident and landowner outreach have been prioritized to ensure open dialogue with the community Local hiring is contributing an economic infusion to the regions and will only increase as the scale of projects increase CONTACTS: Brooks Wallace, Deep Sky, [email protected] Do not sell or share my personal information: President Donald Trump’s trade war against Canada is triggering high anxiety and miscommunication in Quebec The Syndicat des Métallos FTQ union put out a news release early Tuesday saying that Brazil’s Alubar Metal would close its factory in Bécancour the union provided an update saying it was told by the company that the closure was only temporary and that the plant would reopen Wednesday It called the company’s revision a warning shot and said it expected things could still change “This morning we’re the first to get a punch to the face and we need help,” union local president Jessy Trottier said in the statement early Tuesday Alubar executives did not respond to questions about their intentions from The Globe and Mail An official with the corporation that runs Bécancour’s industrial park said they were also waiting for more information Live updates: U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China take effect, triggering trade war President Trump on Tuesday launched the first of what his administration has said would be several trade volleys against Canada imposing a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tariff on energy and critical minerals The levies would come on top of separate 25 per cent import tariffs on steel and aluminum that Mr Trump has said would be implemented next week Metals and manufacturing companies in Ontario and Quebec stand to be hit hard by the tariffs including Ontario’s auto sector and Quebec’s aluminum industry Premier François Legault said Monday his government has increased its upper estimates on potential job losses to 160,000 from 100,000 previously Legault is scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to outline his government’s response against the U.S The Canadian government has the biggest levers to pull on trade but provinces are preparing their own actions and financial assistance for businesses and workers The premier has proposed Canada adopt its own public procurement policies inspired by the U.S.’s “Buy American Act” in a bid to penalize American companies bidding on public contracts and vowed that Quebec could implement similar measures He said restricting Hydro-Québec power exports to the United States is also an option “There’s no more room for magical thinking,” Métallos union Quebec director Dominic Lemieux said in the statement “The storm has started and we need our governments to protect workers.” Alubar is the largest manufacturer of aluminum electrical cables in Latin America and is based in Barcarena Its products are found in key projects and ventures throughout the Brazilian power industry it makes aluminum rods from molten metal that comes from Alcoa’s neighbouring ABI smelter Alubar’s Bécancour production is almost entirely shipped to the United States Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Message Invalid character found in the request target [/leaders-tour/episode/yves-francois-blanchet-on-the-economy-during-a-visit-to-becancour?id\u003d4b318dd0-94e9-4119-affa-c62223893951 ] Ford halts Quebec battery plant project with SK Construction of a cathode material plant in Becancour Quebec — a joint venture between Korea’s EcoPro BM and US automaker Ford — has been halted for the second time this year amid growing uncertainty surrounding Ford’s electric vehicle strategy The plant’s construction began in August last year and was initially paused in April this year due to issues with selecting a contractor and finalizing the facility’s design explained that the April delay was necessary to carefully analyze the best technological options for the plant’s chemical processes ensuring that the facility would be equipped to meet future needs While work resumed a month later in late May Canada’s French newspaper La Presse reported last Wednesday that the project has come to a standstill since Aug this time due to a redesign of the facility This redesign is not just a minor tweak but part of a larger reevaluation of the companies’ approach as they grapple with the evolving challenges in the electric vehicle market cited the EV chasm and changes in battery demand as key reasons for the reevaluation The spokesperson assured that construction will continue once the redesign is finalized the project partners have been facing significant financial pressures due to declining demand and the shifting dynamics of the automotive industry’s transition to electrification The Becancour facility is a substantial investment with the three companies committing approximately $880 million to the project the target was to have the plant up and running by the first half of 2026 The root of this delay appears to be Ford’s shifting priorities within the electric vehicle sector the automaker decided to slow down its development of larger electric vehicles including revisiting its production plans for large electric pickup trucks and pausing investments in facilities for large electric SUVs in Ontario This pivot has led to speculation that a disagreement may be brewing between Ford and its Korean partners EcoPro BM is eager to get construction back on track but Ford’s indecision has left them in limbo Montreal’s research-focused engineering school It is highly unusual to reverse a plant design after it has been finalized still vacillating between internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles communications director at the ministry of economy said that while there’s been a temporary pause the ministry believes the project will get back on track in the coming weeks READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market Ford halts Quebec battery plant project with SK, EcoPro. source U Power Limited (NASDAQ:UCAR) Partners with Sumitomo Mitsui to Deliver Southeast Asia’s First Battery-Swapping Taxi Fleet in Phuket PHUKET 2025 /PRNewswire/ — U Power Limited (Nasdaq:.. Korean Battery Material Companies Seeking Chinese Partnerships to Penetrate European Market As Chinese battery companies rapidly expand in the European market Korean battery material firms are actively seeking.. Lithium Royalty Corp Announces Increased Price Range and Extension of Substantial Issuer Bid TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lithium Royalty Corp (TSX: LIRC) (“LRC” or the “Company”).. COPYRIGHT POLICY DISCLAIMER TERMS & CONDITIONS PRIVACY POLICY We love meeting interesting people and making new friends Audi is examining existing and future plants as locations to build cars sold in the U.S This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Unifor members at Canadoil Forge go on strike QC - Members of Unifor Local 700 working at Canadoil Forge Ltd in Bécancour went on strike on the morning of July 29 This decision was taken following unsuccessful negotiations with the employer on several crucial issues.Canadoil Forge workers are demanding a fair wage increase and a wage catch-up in line with industry standards in the region They are also demanding that their gains be protected in the face of the employer's demands for major concessions and the refusal to formalize the current evening shift work schedule (four days of ten hours from Monday to Thursday) The employer's demands are deemed unacceptable by the members of Local 700 who refuse to give in on these essential points."The employer obviously didn't want an out-of-court settlement because the offers they made to us don't represent what's being negotiated in the region Even more so as the members strongly affirmed that they would not accept any concessions at this level," declared Jonathan Blais national representative.Members are firm in their position and determined to defend their gains."Members are mobilized behind the bargaining committee and we have no intention of disappointing them," added Mr Blais.No bargaining dates are scheduled at this time You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Lafarge will collaborate with Lithium Universe to finalise a definitive supply and purchase agreement Lithium Universe has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Lafarge Canada for the exclusive supply of Aluminosilicate Secondary Product (ASCR) from its Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery in Quebec The refinery is designed to produce up to 18,270 tonnes per annum (tpa) of lithium carbonate utilising a “globally benchmarked” technology from the Jiangsu Lithium Carbonate Plant It will produce approximately 130,000tpa of ASCR by-product which will be marketed to the cement industry as an additive is known for improving the “compressive strength” of cement and reducing costs The positive pre-feasibility study of the Bécancour Refinery underlines its economic viability and positions the company to capitalise on the growing demand for lithium Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Lithium Universe chairman Iggy Tan said: “This is great news for Lithium Universe as we partner with Lafarge Canada to enhance the North American battery materials supply chain and promote sustainable innovation in Canada’s cement industry “This collaboration will not only advance our focus on building Bécancour Lithium refinery’s secondary product supply chain but also strengthening local supply chains fostering a more circular economy in Québec and contributing to greener construction materials.” The Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery is part of Lithium Universe’s mission to address the “lithium conversion gap” in North America The company aims to support the supply chain for original equipment manufacturers by converting spodumene supply into lithium chemicals for electric vehicle battery plants With more than 20 major manufacturers planning to deploy an estimated 1,000GW of battery capacity by 2028 the demand for lithium is expected to soar to around 850,000tpa of lithium carbonate equivalent This strategic move by Lithium Universe also supports national security goals by reducing reliance on foreign lithium converters Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network SK On and EcoPro BM cathode material plant in Becancour has been halted for the second time this year The cause of this renewed delay appears to be Ford's changed priorities in the electric vehicle sector due to weak demand The cathode material plant was initially announced in the summer of 2023 SK On and EcoProBM jointly invested 1.2 billion Canadian dollars (about 885.6 million US dollars) in a new cathode material plant in the province of Quebec it was to have an annual capacity of 45,000 tonnes of CAM/year the facility looks likely to open its doors in 2027 “We remain confident in Quebec’s potential as a cathode manufacturing centre skilled workforce and strong support from the federal and Quebec governments,” EcoPro said in a statement While no exact timeline was given for the pause Mathieu St-Amand stated: “We are confident that the project will resume in the coming weeks.” Due to this being the second interruption of the construction this year the 2026 production launch is looking less than likely the construction had to be paused due to issues with selecting a contractor and finalizing the facility’s design it was said that the delay was “necessary to carefully analyze the best technological options for the plant’s chemical processes ensuring that the facility would be equipped to meet future needs.” This redesign turned out to be a larger analysis and the EV chasm and changes in battery demand have been cited as key reasons the spokesperson claims that the construction project is merely realigning and will resume once the redesign is finalized koreaherald.com, lapresse.ca (in French) I agree with the Privacy policy electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013 we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7) is reportedly over the moon progress with its Bécancour Lithium Refinery Project in Québec remains on track with the layout of the plant being finalised among other works Chairman Iggy Tan says upcoming key milestones include finalising issuing technical specifications for capex estimation and progressing with supplier quotation activities ensuring readiness for capex cost estimate,” Tan says provincial and local government delegates has left a very positive impression on the LU7 board of directors The region has made strong commitments since releasing the Critical Minerals Strategies four years ago and we have seen that in the significant investments made within the battery supply chain and pragmatic discussions held with key government executives “We look forward to advancing the company’s Bécancour Lithium Refinery to contribute in making Québec the lithium conversion centre within the Transatlantic region.” Lithium Universe reports environmental site visits and studies are ongoing Hatch’s transition from Brisbane to Montreal offices is reportedly underway Early contractor engagement and strategic risk assignment are mitigating potential delays with significant progress in engineering and procurement ensuring readiness for a capital cost estimate and commitment to ensure environmental compliance with the regulatory framework,” the company reports The company says the highest priorities for the next few months include finalising the environmental permitting and approvals program which entails completing the initial field survey Engineering work necessary for the environmental permit application is also a top priority equipment procurement will involve preliminary engineering Confirming the treatment of process effluent and site runoff is crucial for environmental compliance starting civil and structural engineering work is essential to maintain project momentum Finalising the plant layout will ensure all components are correctly positioned and integrated execution phase planning will be progressed to ensure that all activities are appropriately funded and scheduled for efficient project advancement In February 2024, Lithium Universe executed an option agreement to acquire a refinery site strategically located within the Bécancour Waterfront Industrial Park (BWIP) lies between Montreal and Québec City and is near major highways and railways The Port of Bécancour supports year-round operations with deep-water access The site offers low-cost hydroelectric power and comprehensive water and waste facilities Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au ABC Refinery: Back to the future with Trump’s tariffs Donald Trump may have ‘borrowed’ the phrase “Make America Great Again” from.. Pacgold accelerates Alice River with new resource Lincoln receives loan to advance Minbrie Great Boulder plots more holes at Ironbark Lion’s legacy investments ‘demonstrating compelling value’ Mid West ‘ideal’ export hub for clean... Zeotech executes MoU with global trading house Hazer forms Kellogg Brown and Root alliance Flagship eyes potential to expand Pantanillo’s mineralisation ASX feeling a bit deflated, gold rebounds      Plug-in hybrid EV sales decline amid slowing... Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ABC Refinery: Back to the future with Trump’s tariffs06 May Flagship eyes potential to expand Pantanillo’s mineralisation06 May Pacgold accelerates Alice River with new resource06 May Get the latest Mining news delivered straight to your inbox Lithium Universe Ltd has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lafarge Canada Inc for the supply of a byproduct from the proposed Bécancour Lithium Refinery in Canada commonly used as an additive in the cement industry The MoU is for the exclusive supply of Aluminosilicate Secondary Product (ASCR) with both parties to work toward finalising a definitive supply and purchase agreement ASCR is a key product in the cement industry as it improves cement durability significantly enhances compressive strength and reduces production costs Lafarge is part of the global Holcim Group and is Canada’s largest provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions "This is great news for Lithium Universe as we partner with Lafarge Canada Inc to enhance the North American battery materials supply chain and promote sustainable innovation in Canada's cement industry “This collaboration will not only advance our focus on building Bécancour Lithium refinery's secondary product supply chain but also strengthening local supply chains fostering a more circular economy in Québec and contributing to greener construction materials.” Lafarge Canada has more than 6,900 employees and 400 sites across the country is driven by the group’s purpose to build progress for people and the planet The lithium carbonate refining process yields in the region of 130,000 tonnes of alumina silicate by-product annually and this will be marketed as a cement additive It features a fine particle size and large specific surface area enhancing its reactivity and utility in cement production with the Jiangsu Lithium Refinery successfully selling this by-product to local cement industries Alumina silicate can improve cement strength and durability by absorbing Ca(OH)₂ produced during hydration It also helps to resist cracking in large-volume concrete by mitigating temperature-induced stress The effectiveness of alumina silicate in cement is well-established with cement containing 30% alumina silicate showing a 132% increase in 28-day compressive strength compared to Portland cement using the fly ash activity determination method cement with 30% alumina silicate demonstrates a 174% increase in three-month compressive strength compared to cement with 30% finely ground quartz sand alumina silicate can reduce production costs improve efficiency and enhance cement quality and durability Lithium Universe will focus on establishing sales of the alumina silicate additive to local cement manufacturers providing significant cost-saving benefits This represents a market opportunity for the company with the cement industry in Canada showing notable growth and resilience in recent years the cement and concrete product manufacturing industry's revenue reached approximately $12.3 billion marking an increase of 14.14% from $10.8 billion in 2020 indicating robust demand in construction sectors Cement production volumes in Canada also increased with the country producing about 13.8 million tonnes in 2022 This aligns with the broader economic recovery post-pandemic driven by significant investments in infrastructure and residential construction The market size for cement manufacturing in Canada was estimated at $2.1 billion in 2025 and the industry employs more than 166,000 contributing significantly to Canada's economy with an annual economic impact of around $76 billion All Rights Reserved - Proactive Australia PTY LTD ACN:132787654 ABN:19132787654 Market Indices, Commodities and Regulatory News Headlines copyright © Morningstar. 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Terms of use Lithium Universe Ltd has proceeded to the funding stage for its Bécancour Lithium Refinery after a definitive feasibility study (DFS) demonstrated the economic viability of the operation The company said the results of the DFS were positive and economically robust offering strong potential even in a low-pricing environment for lithium products LU7 is employing a counter-cyclical strategy for the Bécancour refinery in Canada developing the project ready for lithium’s next price recovery Lithium Universe’s financial modelling points to a strong pre-tax net present value (NPV8) of US$718 million with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 21% and a payback period of 3.9 years That period is based on a price forecast of US$1,170 per tonne for SC6 spodumene concentrate and US$20,970 per tonne for battery-grade lithium carbonate (LC) The current spot price sits at US$775 per tonne of SC6 and US$10,680 per tonne for battery-grade LC although the DFS indicates the project would be able to break even at around US$740 per tonne of SC6 and US$14,000 for LC LU7 expects its operating costs to be about US$3,941 per tonne with a capital cost estimate of US$549 million the company expects to produce annual revenue of about US$383 million and earnings before interest depreciation and amortisation of about US$148 million per year “The strong NPV and returns for the project indicate an economically viable project and the board has made the Financial Investment Decision (FID) and the project is now proceeding to the funding stage,” Lithium Universe chair Iggy Tan said “An equity and debt adviser will be engaged to lead the funding outreach program aimed at securing strategic partners at the project level to support project financing “Initial discussions with various banks and debt providers have been encouraging The company will continue discussions with interested OEMs with spodumene offtake supply seeking conversion outside of China “We are confident that the Bécancour Lithium Refinery will emerge as a leader in producing green “We recognized that bridging the lithium conversion gap in North America leveraging our accumulated lithium expertise and the proven technology from Jiangsu “Our counter-cyclical strategy is centred on advancing projects during market downturns allowing us to strategically position ourselves for growth as the market rebounds “We are dedicated to funding and constructing a proven low-risk lithium conversion refinery in Québec marking the first step toward establishing Québec as the lithium conversion hub for the Transatlantic region.” LU7 is confident its Bécancour refinery will overcome the global pattern of lithium conversion failures and start-up issues by using proven Jiangsu Refinery operating technology and employing extensive lithium industry experience The refinery will be a smaller off-the-shelf style plant compared to larger difficult-to-operate facilities with an initial focus on lithium carbonate production to feed the lithium-iron-phosphorous (LFP) lithium battery market Situated in Québec with access to the trans-Atlantic lithium conversion centre Lithium Universe’s refinery will be fed by stock from Canada leveraging cheap green power and cost-effective transport options to end market to achieve critical cost benefits the project’s greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by up to 95% due to the company’s plans to use Hydro Québec’s green energy Proactive Investors Limited, trading as “Proactiveinvestors United Kingdom” is registered in England with the Company Registration number 05639690. Group VAT registration number 872070825. You can contact us here Market Indices, Commodities and Regulatory News Headlines copyright © Morningstar. Data delayed 15 minutes unless otherwise indicated. Terms of use MONTREAL – It’s not an understatement to say that Samuel Montembeault is the pride of his hometown Residents of Sainte-Gertrude paid homage to their most famous export on Sunday by unveiling a new sign featuring the Habs goaltender which now greets visitors to the sector of Bécancour The idea was brought forth by local Eric St-Louis several months ago and then gained steam as the community rallied around it to make it a reality Nearly 500 fans of all ages assembled in a festive atmosphere to see their work come together alongside their hero Montembeault was touched by the support of his hometown and spent the afternoon taking photos with and signing autographs for fans The final product is a fitting tribute to the 27 year old placing him in his natural habitat as a goalie: between two posts Canada: Lithium Universe has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lafarge Canada for the supply of aluminosilicate product (ACSR) from its Bécancour lithium refinery for use in Lafarge Canada’s cement The parties will work towards a definitive supply agreement which would see Lafarge sourcing all ACSR from the facility in a bid to reduce waste and support a circular economy Lithium Universe chair Iggy Tan said “This is great news for Lithium Universe as we partner with Lafarge Canada to enhance the North American battery materials supply chain and promote sustainable innovation in Canada’s cement industry This collaboration will not only advance our focus on building Bécancour Lithium Refinery’s secondary product supply chain but also strengthen local supply chains and contribute to greener construction materials.” (NYSE: GM) and POSCO Future M today welcomed the announcements by Québec Premier François Legault and federal Minister of Innovation Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne of financial support for development of a Cathode Active Material (CAM) processing facility The Ultium CAM facility is a joint venture between GM and POSCO Future M The project was first announced in March 2022 to supply General Motors’ fast expanding battery production in North America The JV project investment of more than C$600 million is under construction and on schedule to begin CAM production in the first half of 2025 creating approximately 200 direct full-time jobs Bécancour’s excellent industrial site and the ability to access Québec’s low carbon hydro-electricity for EV critical mineral processing were all important factors in selecting the Québec plant location.  CAM is a key battery material representing about 40 per cent of the cost of a battery cell.  GM is executing plans to install 1 million units of annual EV capacity in North America in 2025 and grow from there battery cell joint venture plants with one already open and two under construction The Ultium CAM joint venture project will support production of electric Chevrolet Buick and BrightDrop vehicles in North America “We thank Premier Legault and Ministers Pierre Fitzgibbon and François-Philippe Champagne for their tremendous leadership in supporting our efforts to build a secure scalable and cost competitive EV supply chain to support our fast-growing electric vehicle production across North America,” said GM Canada President and Managing Director Marissa West “We at GM Canada are particularly proud to be back in Québec growing investments and jobs in alignment with the province’s vision for the future of transportation.”    “Our investment in Bécancour-based CAM production is an important step in building a more secure and resilient North America-focused supply chain to support GM’s fast-growing EV production needs and this site offers room to grow for the JV and its partners in the future,” said Sham Kunjur GM’s executive director for EV Raw Materials’ Center of Excellence “GM started by establishing battery cell production in the U.S we have been working through the entire battery supply chain We’re building higher levels of vertical integration driving expanded investment and helping create jobs across North America.” “Our project has stayed on schedule thanks to our excellent local construction and engineering partners We will soon begin our hiring and training of permanent employees for our operations which will begin in 2025." Today’s milestone announcement is the latest in a series of actions GM has taken to build a more secure EV supply chain “I am very proud that GM and POSCO Future M will be setting up a manufacturing plant in Bécancour This is the first milestone in our Energy Transition Valley (VTÉ) project In addition to establishing an outstanding anchor point for our battery sector this move signals that Québec is innovating in the green economy I am convinced that with the innovation and production carried out here we will be helping to reduce GHG emissions not only in Québec The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne “Canada has everything it needs to be a global leader in battery manufacturing: access to global markets and all the critical mineral resources necessary to make batteries This investment in the GM POSCO facility in Bécancour will help further position Québec as a key hub in Canada’s growing EV supply chain This investment is good for the environment and the economy and it will ensure well-paying jobs for years to come.” “Québec’s battery sector is up and running This is a historic investment by GM and POSCO. Thanks to its natural resources Québec is attracting the giants of the electrification industry We will be announcing additional transformative projects shortly Québec is where the world’s greenest batteries will be produced.” Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This press release and related comments by management may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S Forward-looking statements are any statements other than statements of historical fact we rely upon assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances but these statements are not guarantees of any future events or financial results and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of factors many of which are described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other filings with the U.S We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or other factors that affect the subject of these statements except where we are expressly required to do so by law Please view your lighbox to modify the assets It is recommended that you download your current lightbox contents and clear its assets to add more Go to my lightbox | I understand & close window Rendering of the completed Ultium CAM Facility The CA$600 million+ project is under construction and on schedule to begin CAM production in the first half of 2025 Credit: Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour Hydro‑Québec’s contribution to this major project is essentially aimed at meeting the growing demand for electricity in this sector and improving the reliability of the power system Hydro‑Québec is working in collaboration with various government departments and regional partners to optimize the rollout of its system in the Bécancour industrial park and port The Bécancour industrial park and port includes several industrial sites as well as high-capacity port and rail facilities this park was targeted by the Québec government to accommodate multiple plants connected to the battery industry To meet the increasing demand for electricity from businesses in the Bécancour industrial park and port Hydro‑Québec is working to reinforce its 230‑kV transmission system located between Nicolet substation in Sainte-Eulalie and Bécancour substation in Bécancour Hydro‑Québec is also working on projects to connect industrial customers to the existing 230‑kV system will be carried out within the boundaries of the Bécancour industrial park and port The City of Bécancour and the Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour have developed a website that identify at a glance all the services and projects related to the battery industry The purpose of this project is to supply the Ultium-CAM substation from a 230‑kV line The purpose of this project is to supply the Nemaska Lithium substation from a 230‑kV line The purpose of this project is to increase the 120/15‑kV transformer capacity at Cournoyer substation with the addition of a third transformer It will also modernize the automation systems in Hydro‑Québec’s substations and include the addition of 25‑kV distribution feeder bays The purpose of this project is to supply the EcoproBM substation from a 230-kV line The purpose of this project is to supply the Air Liquide substation from a 230‑kV line 1 866 388‑1978 Join us for a stimulating experience: you’ll find a world of learning and development opportunities where inventiveness is at the heart of what we do Air Liquide has completed the construction of the world's largest PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyzer this unit is now producing up to 8.2 tonnes per day of low-carbon hydrogen in Bécancour the Group confirms its long-term commitment to the hydrogen energy markets and its ambition to be a major player in the supply of low-carbon hydrogen The new 20 MW PEM electrolyser, equipped with Cummins[1] technology is the largest operating unit of its kind in the world and will help meet the growing demand for low-carbon hydrogen in North America Bécancour's proximity to the main industrial markets in Canada and the United States will help ensure their supply of low-carbon hydrogen for industrial use and mobility The commissioning of this electrolysis unit increases by 50% the capacity of Air Liquide's Bécancour hydrogen production complex Compared to the traditional hydrogen production process this new production unit will avoid the emission of around 27,000 tonnes of CO2 per year which is equivalent to the emissions of 10,000 cars per year The choice of Bécancour is based on two attributes of the site: the access to abundant renewable power from Hydro-Québec and the proximity to the hydrogen mobility market in the northeast of the continent Air Liquide North America and Group Executive Committee Member: “The fight against climate change is at the heart of the Air Liquide Group's strategy The inauguration of the Bécancour site in Canada marks an important step in the implementation of this strategy Air Liquide confirms its commitment to the production of low-carbon hydrogen on an industrial scale and its ability to effectively deploy the related technological solutions Hydrogen will play a key role in the energy transition and the emergence of a low-carbon society.” technologies and services for industry and healthcare Present in 60 countries with approximately 66,500 employees the Group serves more than 4 million customers and patients The countryside city of Bécancour may have finally found its higher purpose: making battery materials for EVs in the global energy transition This article was published more than 2 years ago Dreams of industrial glory are alive again in Bécancour On the tidy main streets and busy eateries in this countryside city of 15,000 people, a hopeful buzz is in the air over a wave of new cutting-edge factories set to push up from the ground that could cement the area’s future for decades. An electric vehicle battery boom is nigh This is a collection of six villages across the St grouped together into one municipality for administrative convenience Bécancour’s tourism board suggests a hunt for “gnome homes” scattered among historical sites and a circuit of poutine restaurants to satisfy your culinary cravings the entirety of it measuring a whopping 494 square kilometres A massive arrowhead-shaped industrial park pierces eastward from the river as far as the eye can see Alcoa Corp. and Rio Tinto Group run a 1980s-era aluminum plant here. France’s Air Liquide SA has a facility producing hydrogen. Chemical makers Arkema Canada Inc., Cepsa Chimie Bécancour and Olin Canada ULC are all present, and TC Energy Corp. TRP-T has a natural-gas-powered cogeneration plant their projects living more as fanciful mirages on the business pages of local newspapers Norway’s Norsk Hydro ASA set up a magnesium facility but dismantled the plant around 2008 Hydro-Québec shut down the Gentilly-2 nuclear power station in 2012 Yakabuski: Will the EV transition cost more auto jobs than it creates? Bécancour has been searching for higher purpose for half a century – a critical mass of big business with a common raison d’être to finally put itself on the global map it might have found it: making battery materials for EVs in the global energy transition What happens next could change this quiet corner of Canada in ways its inhabitants might never have imagined “You have to be an archaeologist to remember that we used to make cars in the late 1990s in Quebec,” says Pierre Fitzgibbon the province’s Minister of Energy and Economy alluding to General Motors Co.’s muscle car plant in Boisbriand and Hyundai Motor Co.’s short-lived manufacturing fling with Bromont “I think Bécancour is going to become – maybe I’m too optimistic – a true centre of battery materials for North America,” says Mr a chartered accountant and former investment banker “I look at it from a capital investment perspective and this is du jamais vu” (meaning it’s unheard of) The desire by Western automakers to cut their dependence on China and map out new EV supply chains in Europe and North America has triggered a reset of their global footprints Companies are scrambling to secure lithium nickel and other minerals needed for battery production And they’re forging alliances with new partners plotting new factories to feed their dealer showrooms It’s a once-in-a-lifetime shift that’s being fuelled by government backing on an unprecedented scale Countries are competing with each other for these high-tech facilities and Canada’s political leaders want many in Ontario and Quebec The Trudeau government has agreed to provide subsidies that could reach $13-billion over a decade for a new Volkswagen AG battery plant in St That’s a shocking sum of corporate aid the government insists is justified by the economic spinoffs it will create Stellantis NV and LG Energy Solution are planning their own factory in Windsor that will also be financed with help from Ottawa As society moves toward greater EV adoption Quebec and Ontario have put up big taxpayer dollars to help the country win its share of manufacturing investment as automobile and battery makers shop their factories to the highest bidder politicians have to sell that decision to a somewhat skeptical citizenry As Quebec business commentator Pierre-Yves McSween cheekily put it: “We’re buying our place in paradise.” Quebec has many of the minerals the auto industry needs as it goes electric And it has something equally valuable: cheap green hydropower – the kind needed for the energy-intensive task of pulling those minerals out of the ground to create cathodes and anodes Lithium-ion batteries rely on an anode made of graphite that easily surrenders electrons (negative charges) and a cathode made of a metal oxide that draws electrons the result is an electric current that can power a device such as a car lithium ions (positive charges) move within the battery to balance the electron flow the lithium ions move in the reverse direction and the battery is restored to its original state The province wants to make the guts of EVs it has been selling itself hard as a viable place to do that And its industrial park is easily one of Canada’s biggest at 70 square km offering ready-to-build land for factories that take up a mind-boggling amount of space topped with government financial incentives has drawn the attention of several big-league multinationals Germany’s BASF SE and Brazilian mining giant Vale SA Construction on Volkswagen’s planned plant Canada’s all-in wager on EV battery manufacturing has taken root Companies are making commitments and spending money to buy land and concrete is being poured on site for new factory foundations negotiations between companies and governments have already started giving way to cranes and construction mixers Fitzgibbon estimates the value of projects announced and in the cards for Bécancour at $4-billion with a possible doubling of that number if companies move forward with expansion projects on their properties Quebec hasn’t seen private sector industrial spending of that size since Bombardier Inc launched development of the C-Series airliner in 2008 The minister has said the government could invest as much as $3-billion to support EV battery projects in the city A hopeful buzz is in the air over a wave of new cutting-edge factories that could cement Bécancour’s future as a maker of electric vehicle battery materials.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail Bécancour was a thriving farming community in the 1960s when the Quebec government of then premier Jean Lesage designated it for a new vocation as a steelmaking centre at a time nationalist sentiment was growing and state involvement in industrial development was growing with it Buoyed by its success bringing hydroelectric production under state control Quebec also took a stake in a shipyard in Sorel and created an assembly plant cranking out French-designed Peugeot and Renault cars in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville which has remained underused in recent years offers a direct import channel; ships will dock at the port and equipment ready-made for the factory floor from South Korea will roll straight off the boats before making the 10-minute drive to the new cathode plants.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail Bécancour families who had spent generations growing vegetables or raising cows were forced to sell their properties and move further afield to make way for an industrial outpost set to pump out hot-rolled sheet metal It was to be one of the province’s most ambitious society-building schemes to date a megaproject for the masses that would reduce Quebec’s reliance on Ontario metal decided to locate new steelworks 100 km downriver at Contrecoeur instead after it merged with Dominion Steel and Coal Corp Bécancour was left with vast lands parcelled off for heavy industry the city is coming alive with new purpose under a new government vision And people are asking again whether it will fly or flop “There is still skepticism” among the local population the head of the provincial crown corporation overseeing Bécancour’s industrial park these announcements are nice and everything but will it be like the past and they never amount to anything?’” Several global giants are building footprints in Bécancour A wave of smaller suppliers is expected to join them as they firm up plans and secure financing The most advanced project is a partnership between GM and South Korean battery materials maker Posco Chemical Co where construction workers are now laying down foundations and putting up steel framing for a new $500-million factory GM Hummer EVs on an assembly line at the General Motors Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit GM says the plant will produce 'cathode active material' for batteries that will power GM’s Hummer EV GM and Posco announced last year that the plant will produce so-called “cathode active material” for batteries that will power GM’s Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and GMC Hummer EV It’s the first of what is expected to be several subsequent projects by the automaker on the property “Canada offers tremendous opportunity to be a major new part of the critical minerals sourcing and recycling that we will need as we manage the rapid transformation to an all-electric future,” GM Canada President Marissa West said in an e-mailed statement GM wants to have the capacity to crank out one million electric vehicles in North America by the end of 2025 has locked up a big parcel of land in the industrial park as it readies its own project Mining titan Vale has announced it will supply battery-grade nickel sulfate to GM from Vale’s proposed plant at Bécancour signed a letter of intent with EcoPro BM Co. South Korea’s leading battery material producer to jointly invest US$704-million for a new cathode factory in Bécancour The project location has not been officially confirmed sees Quebec becoming a dependable pillar for battery materials supply in North America London-based Pallinghurst has invested more than US$500-million to date in two key mining and materials processing projects in the province The company scooped up mining company Nemaska Lithium Inc out of bankruptcy protection in a partnership with the Quebec government’s investment arm and it’s built up a 15-per-cent position in another supplier London-based Pallinghurst Group scooped up mining company Nemaska Lithium Inc The future Nemaska site is waiting for construction in the Quebec Societe-Parc Industriel in Bécancour in March 2023.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail Nemaska controls the Whabouchi mine in Quebec’s northern James Bay region one of the world’s richest deposits of spodumene – a mineral source for lithium silvery-white metal used in consumer electronics and EVs Nouveau Monde specializes in battery anode material Both companies have staked out spots in Bécancour “We remain all-in on Quebec,” Pallinghurst’s co-managing partner “You have the combination of world class natural resources and the political willingness to think big.” you have the system in place that allows you to invest in a sensible and very transparent manner which is a blue chip and most supportive investment partner this unique cocktail is what it’s really about,” he said Quebec has long espoused a strategy of using its vast hydropower resources the bulk of which are produced by dams in the north built decades ago It is home to several energy-intensive industries that pay among the cheapest electricity rates in North America The Legault government is keen on expanding that strategy to woo more investment and drive growth particularly by attracting companies that can help build an industrial base centred on electric propulsion systems The goal is to play host to companies working on various links along the battery supply chain from extracting minerals to recycling batteries And while the province doesn’t have any automakers assembling cars and SUVs it does have manufacturers of electric buses and power sports vehicles Quebec’s investment arm is leading the charge in commercial negotiations with EV players taking ownership positions in some projects and dangling loans for promoters on attractive terms they could never get from banks Ottawa has earmarked $80-billion in tax credits in its spring budget for clean technology over the next decade attends the inauguration of the first battery manufacturing plant for electric vehicles in Quebec Both the provincial and federal governments are working together on Quebec’s electric aspirations.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press The two levels of government are working together on Quebec’s electric aspirations But whether they’re successful in their plans for Bécancour hinges in part on how prospective investors weigh competing jurisdictions Inflation Reduction Act contains an estimated US$500-billion in new spending and tax breaks aimed in part at boosting clean energy The sheer scale of that spending threatens to leave Canada’s behind in the EV race if it can’t keep pace Ottawa and Quebec City are striving to win one particular battery manufacturing investment at the moment that pits Bécancour against one or more unnamed U.S Government officials have a detailed side-by-side financial analysis of the project plan comparing U.S and Canadian financing – and there’s a gap the Canadians are struggling to match He declined to name the companies involved Fitzgibbon remembers the light-bulb moment that Quebec’s EV potential began to crystallize in his mind a petite woman was sitting at a table with a map of Quebec spread out in front of her highlighting all the lithium claims in the province “She knew more about lithium than I did at the time This is when I realized there’s something going on here.” the minister is making deals left and right The government is so intent on making sure EV battery manufacturers and suppliers have what they need from the moment they land on site that it’s spending $350-million on new infrastructure in Bécancour’s industrial park crews began building new access roads and laying water electrical and fibre-optic systems underground – all before the ink is even dry on most investment agreements Power will flow from two Hydro-Québec substations The province is working with local authorities and real estate developers to erect new housing in the city And it’s rallying local colleges and educational institutions to develop a pool of workers who are industry-ready though much of the top talent in the hub’s initial phase is expected to come from outside the country Much of the machinery will be imported too Ships will dock at Bécancour’s port and equipment ready-made for the factory floor from South Korea will roll straight off the boats onto trucks for the roughly 10-minute drive to the new cathode plants South Korea has developed a deep experience in the industry and battery specialists from that country will also come to Bécancour as work progresses Olivier sees the city taking on a decidedly Korean flavour in the years ahead CEO of the Societe du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour on March 24.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail Olivier is Quebec’s man on the ground here the guy in charge of reassuring prospective investors they’ll have what they need on site who led the shutdown of the Gentilly-2 nuclear plant “This is a race against the clock,” for automakers trying to comply with government mandates on EV production as they phase out gasoline-powered vehicles from their lineups Canada is banning the sale of fuel-burning new cars and trucks as of 2035 as it tries to reach net-zero emissions carmakers are bringing industrial expertise close to where they sell their vehicles “There is a strong will to develop a North American supply chain,” he says “That runs through Canada and it runs through Quebec.” Traditional construction timelines have been thrown out the window amid the urgency GM-Posco became owners of their plot on Dec 19 last year and launched construction of the factory barely two weeks later “In January it was lights on at 6:30 in the morning until 8:30 at night,” Mr “Other investors will probably do the same thing.” If closing a nuclear plant had technical challenges the obstacles here are more deadline-driven Roughly $100-million of his $350-million infrastructure kitty has either been spent or committed through contract awards and roughly three-quarters of it will be used by the end of the year including building a new section of rail line and rebuilding a water treatment plant All of it has to be completed in time for manufacturers to start operations in the summer of 2025 is optimistic about what lies ahead for her municipality even as there is enormous pressure to develop and accomodate the industry locally.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail Mayor Lucie Allard strikes an optimistic tone about what lies ahead for her municipality She’s been mayor for about 18 months and when she campaigned nobody was talking about a rapid expansion of the EV battery industry after an assortment of corporate citizens over several years automotive and battery heavyweights have come knocking “People are rallying around the idea that this development is coming and they feel that they’re part of it that they have a stake in its success,” Ms there is already enormous pressure to make it work Hundreds and potentially thousands of newcomers employed by the battery companies will need housing A new elementary school is currently being built Finding experienced labour could also be challenge particularly in an economy near full employment The battery industry will surely attract workers from Trois-Rivières and other nearby towns But businesses with existing operations in the industrial park are already fretting privately about their employees jumping to the EV manufacturers Many private-sector companies are hungry to take advantage of the potential windfall that comes with an economic development strategy sponsored by government Real estate promoters are jostling for land and permits in Bécancour is setting up a plant to make home construction modules (think walls roofs) so it can complete its housing projects faster The city’s phones are ringing non-stop with calls from people with project plans seeking meetings with urban planning staff City officials estimate that within five years Bécancour’s population will swell by one-third to 20,000 people That threatens to put a significant strain on municipal infrastructure and services Allard says the goal is sustainable development that maintains the quality of life of residents “We know there’s collateral damage in all of this,” she says “It’s not just smokestacks that we want in Bécancour Bécancour’s population will swell to 20,000 people threatening to strain municipal infrastructure and services.Christinne Muschi/The Globe and Mail How this will all shake out remains to be seen As major EV and battery manufacturers cement their plans for North America Bécancour seems set to receive a growing piece of the action And more suppliers will set up in their midst But there’s a limit to how far political leaders will roll out the red carpet here and elsewhere depends on how much electricity is available “Quebec has never had the opportunity to build such a cluster and I want to be cautious,” Mr The province is currently dealing with requests from sponsors of “decent projects” in all industries (not just automotive and batteries) that would soak up about 10,000 megawatts of power if they were all approved And there’s not enough electricity for that Fitzgibbon says the government wants to get the battery materials making cluster as robust as it can in Bécancour but that the city can absorb a maximum of two additional major cathode projects for the foreseeable future The minister already has his sights on other EV projects in other parts of Quebec The Montreal area could accommodate an EV battery cell manufacturer which is the next step in the supply chain after materials processing And he says he’s working on developing “another Bécancour” somewhere else because the province has enough minerals for multiple cathode material producers and they can’t all be located in one place There are striking similarities between Quebec’s EV battery opportunity and its experience with the aluminum industry an energy and mergers and acquisitions specialist at law firm Stikeman Elliott LLP who recently retired The province has nurtured and assisted the aluminum industry for decades to the point it is now its number one export But while Quebec is a powerhouse in primary aluminum production it is much weaker in transforming the metal and has almost no local ownership in the industry It has to solve that piece of the puzzle this time to create more wealth “If Quebec can improve upon what has happened for the last 40 years in the aluminum sector then the battery EV file will be beneficial,” says Mr less component and more finished goods production and a clear understanding of the electricity needs of the sector over the medium and long term.” Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page Tony Keller is a columnist with The Globe and Mail He joined The Globe in 1991 as an editorial writer; over a career of more than 30 years he has also served as editor of The Financial Post Magazine managing editor of Maclean’s and a TV news anchor on BNN (now BNN-Bloomberg) He returned to The Globe in 2013 to become the paper's editorials editor and remained in that position until 2022 he’s a graduate of Duke University and Yale Law School and has also been a visiting fellow at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and the Wilson Center in Washington D.C He’s been nominated three times for the National Newspaper Award for editorial writing Adam Radwanski is a policy columnist and feature writer for The Globe and Mail's Report on Business Specializing in solutions-oriented reporting and analysis his current focus is on opportunities and challenges around boosting Canada's economic sovereignty during a time of continental and global tumult His recent work has included serving as the Globe's climate-policy columnist focusing on the transition to a low-carbon economy he was also finalist in 2024 for the SABEW Canada Best in Business award for opinion writing and a co-recipient of the Canadian Journalism Foundation's award for climate solutions reporting He was previously a political feature writer and a member of the Globe's editorial board He made his start in journalism as the founder of Canada's first online political magazine was a columnist and editor at the National Post and was managing editor for online services at Maclean's which exposed the ways that Canadian police services mishandle sexual assault cases training and practices around sexual violence Doolittle’s other notable projects include the “Power Gap”, an investigation of gender inequities in the workforce, and “Secret Canada,” which examines Canada’s broken freedom of information system She is the author of two books, “Had It Coming – What’s Fair In The Age of #MeToo?,” which was shortlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize for non-fiction, and “Crazy Town: The Rob Ford Story,” both of which were national bestsellers Jameson Berkow is the capital markets reporter for The Globe and Mail to cover the economic implications of cannabis legalization He left in early 2020 to start an entrepreneurship magazine and rejoined The Globe in early 2022 to cover financial regulation and governance for Globe Advisor With more than a decade of experience in financial journalism Jameson was most recently the senior reporter for BNN Bloomberg (formerly the Business News Network) where he led live daily coverage of major business news from the television station’s Toronto headquarters He previously worked as the station’s Western Canada bureau chief based in Calgary where his reporting on pipeline politics and the 2014 oil price crash was nominated for numerous awards.\nHis series of reports from Fort McMurray Alberta in 2015 was a finalist for the RTDNA Dave Rogers Award Jameson was the technology reporter for the Financial Post in Toronto where he created and hosted the FP Tech Desk podcast and authored the weekly Startup Spotlight profile series Jameson got his start in journalism in 2007 as a fact-checker for Toronto Life magazine where his first byline was for a story about two dogs getting married Chris Wilson-Smith writes the Business Brief newsletter for The Globe and Mail He has served in several capacities in about a decade at the newspaper including as Foreign Editor and Deputy National editor and has spent most of his time in the Report on Business Chris has worked as a journalist at The Canadian Press He has also held senior communications positions at the Royal Ontario Museum and the University of Waterloo Paul Attfield is a reporter at The Globe and Mail Born in England and raised both there and in France Paul is now a dual citizen of Canada and the United Kingdom He has called Toronto home since moving there from London in 2005 Working in The Globe’s sports department since 2006 Paul started out covering predominantly soccer and rugby he has become more of a general assignment reporter writing about pretty much anything involving a bat Temur Durrani is a national reporter for The Globe and Mail a Globe business podcast about how our failures shape us he was a technology reporter for The Globe’s Report on Business he broke news and wrote extensively about Canadian firms like Shopify turbulence in global cryptocurrency markets A globe-trotting newshound hailing from British Columbia and even the Raptors’ historic run to the NBA final Before joining The Globe in February of 2022 where he reported investigative stories and business features for broadcast and digital audiences he was a staffer at the Winnipeg Free Press A juror since 2021 for the annual Dalton Camp Award which grants young writers with a $10,000 prize for the best essay on the link between media and democracy TV and radio panels to provide news analysis He speaks in six languages fluently or conversationally (guess which ones!) takes his caffeinated beverages very seriously Carrie Tait is a reporter in The Globe and Mail’s Calgary Bureau Her coverage ranges from race relations in her home province of Saskatchewan to the lighthearted topic of skiing cats in Alberta Carrie has reported on the wildfires and floods in Alberta and British Columbia; how Cargill’s meat-processing plant in High River became the site of Canada’s largest single outbreak of COVID-19; and naming trends among Calgary Stampede participants she covered energy for the Globe’s Report on Business and has also reported for the National Post She joined the National Post’s Calgary bureau in 2008 Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida Poilievre depart a polling station after voting in Ottawa on Monday Waking up hours before the sun appears, David Leeder has written Globe Investor's daily Upgrades/Downgrades and Market Movers files for almost a decade He also compiles stock market updates throughout the trading day while editing other staff stories he's always on the lookout for news (big and small) that will cause rumblings on Bay Street David started at The Globe as a member of the team that launched its breaking news website in 2000 Deputy Sports Editor and Weekend Digital Editor Unifor sets up in the Battery Valley in Bécancour Unifor celebrated the inauguration of its new union office in the town of Bécancour on October 5 The strategic location was chosen to reinforce Unifor's presence close to the future GM-POSCO and Ford battery production plants which will be built in the Bécancour industrial park and is anticipated to start production in 2025 The festive atmosphere of the opening event was marked by the presence of Unifor's Quebec Director Members had the opportunity to engage in fruitful discussions about Unifor's future projects in the region demonstrating the union's commitment to its members and the community "With government subsidies dedicated to the battery sector it is essential that the spin-offs for Bécancour translate into good jobs and fair wages for the region's residents," said Cloutier which already has 1,000 workers in the Bécancour industrial park is strengthening its position as a major union force actively contributing to the region's economic and social development Through an investment of more than 140 million euros (more than 200 million Canadian dollars) Air Liquide announces that it will establish in Bécancour a breakthrough platform supplying low-carbon industrial gases including hydrogen In addition to the Group’s 20 MW PEM electrolyzer currently the world’s largest in operation the infrastructure created by Air Liquide will include a new air separation unit producing renewable oxygen and nitrogen connected by a local pipeline network to best serve its customers This Air Liquide low-carbon production platform in line with the industrial and port zone's drive to decarbonize makes Bécancour a unique place for the Group to produce renewable industrial gases and develop offers for customers engaged in the energy transition own and operate a production and distribution infrastructure including a new air separation unit (ASU) producing oxygen nitrogen and argon; as well as a liquid storage capacity The new ASU will be powered by renewable energy from hydropower sources in line with Air Liquide's ADVANCE plan to reduce its CO2 emissions by 33% by 2035 Adding a total oxygen production capacity of 850 tonnes per day the new infrastructure will primarily supply customers manufacturing battery components for electric vehicles via long term contracts and should be operational in 2025 The project will also connect its Bécancour PEM electrolyzer enabling the recovery and valorization of renewable oxygen from the hydrogen production Leveraging its production platform in the Bécancour port and industrial park the Group will be able to offer a sustainable reliable and competitive solution to its customers today and to meet additional market demand tomorrow As part of Québec's development as an energy transition hub this new investment will support growth in the electric vehicle battery sector contributing to the decarbonization of mobility It will initially supply battery component manufacturers including Ecopro CAM Canada (EcoProBM + Ford + SKO) and will have the capacity to supply others in the Bécancour area as well as bulk clients in Eastern Canada Chief Executive Officer of the Americas Hub Québec stands at the forefront of the energy transition actively fostering a thriving industrial ecosystem centered on battery components The electric vehicle battery market is a rapidly expanding frontier giving rise to a landscape of opportunities and the emergence of ecosystems dedicated to its support and advancement The region boasts a wealth of valuable assets Operating in Bécancour for more than 35 years we are delighted to be able to support the development of a growing industry with a reliable and competitive low-carbon offer Air Liquide started its activity in Canada in 1911 and now has a team of more than 2,400 employees working to serve more than 200,000 customers and patients across Canada In all of the country’s key industrial regions from coast to coast Air Liquide offers innovative solutions — gas equipment and services — in a wide variety of sectors: aeronautics Lithium Universe Ltd (ASX:LU7, OTC:LUVSF) CEO Alex Hanly joins Proactive’s Tylah Tully to discuss the company’s Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery project in Québec The study confirms the viability of the lithium conversion project The refinery aims to produce environmentally friendly battery-grade lithium carbonate with an annual capacity of 18,270 tonnes The company will source spodumene feedstock from both domestic and international markets aligning with its goal to contribute to the North Atlantic lithium supply chain The project presents strong financial indicators with a pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of around US$779 million and an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 23.5% Annual revenue is projected to be around US$383 million resulting in an EBITDA of some US$147 million and a gross margin of 38% Post-tax NPV is estimated at US$501 million The capital cost for the project is US$494 million Lithium Universe plans to secure strategic partners for project funding and aims to position Québec as a key lithium conversion hub 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