Electra Battery Materials Corporation is actively advancing construction across the solvent extraction, crystallizer, and legacy infrastructure circuits at its Temiskaming Shores Cobalt Refinery in Ontario, backed by a US$73 million construction budget approved by the board in February 2026.

Major construction packages are now moving into execution under finalized agreements. Electra has locked in definitive contracts with WB Melback Corporation valued at approximately C$26 million and Pro Pipe Construction Ltd. at approximately C$6.8 million. The Melback agreement marks a substantial expansion from an earlier C$1.0 million contract awarded to the contractor in April 2026 for silo building construction.

Work across the principal process areas is proceeding simultaneously. Within the solvent extraction circuit, contractors are installing concrete piers and pump bases, erecting internal structural pipe-rack steel, levelling process equipment into final position, and advancing pipework under Melback’s scope. For the crystallizer circuit, reinforcing steel and concrete works on floors and equipment bases are underway alongside piping fabrication and mechanical preparation. Meanwhile, Kilmarnock Enterprises has mobilized on site, established an onsite fabrication facility, and commenced the selective removal of legacy piping and compressed air equipment in the existing refinery.

Engineering work for the brownfield facility is substantially complete, with major design deliverables issued and priority general arrangement drawings finalized. Remaining engineering tasks focus primarily on field-driven changes, site queries, and construction support. Electra has also expanded its site team with dedicated health, safety, and leadership resources following an initial safety program review.

“We are now seeing the refinery take shape in the field, with concrete, structural steel, equipment setting and piping preparation underway,” said Paolo Toscano, Vice President, Projects & Engineering. “Engineering is substantially complete; several critical construction agreements are now being executed, and our focus is on delivering the project schedule. We remain disciplined in our approach to contractor coordination, safety, cost and schedule as construction advances.”

The segmented execution strategy uses specialized contractors to broaden labour access while tracking package-level cost and performance. Project scheduling targets select commissioning activities in the fourth quarter of 2026, mechanical completion in the second quarter of 2027, full commissioning and production ramp-up in the third quarter of 2027, and commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2027.

Read the full announcement: Electra Advances Concrete, Structural Steel and Equipment Installation at North American Cobalt Sulfate Refinery