TSX-V and Nasdaq-listed Electra Battery Materials Corporation says major construction packages are being executed at its cobalt sulphate refinery, in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, which is a strategic critical minerals processing facility supported by the US, Canada and Ontario governments.

The refinery is a fully permitted brownfield facility designed to produce battery-grade cobalt sulfate for North American lithium-ion battery, energy storage, defense and industrial markets.

As previously announced by the company, select commissioning activities are targeted to begin in the fourth quarter of the year, mechanical completion is targeted for the second quarter of 2027, full commissioning and production ramp-up is expected in the third quarter of 2027, and commercial production is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027.

Since the company's last construction update in June, field execution has advanced with structural steel and concrete works, equipment installation, piping preparation and selective removal of legacy infrastructure in the brownfield refinery.

Work by contractors WB Melback Corporation valued at C$26-million and Pro Pipe Construction valued at C$6.8-million is advancing for solvent extraction and crystallizer circuits, while a final mechanical and piping construction package is being finalised with Kilmarnock Enterprises.

In the meantime, Kilmarnock has completed site mobilisation, including the establishment of an onsite fabrication facility that will support new construction and equipment installation activity for the existing refinery on site. The company's broader scope includes concrete and civil works, structural steel, process equipment installation and piping fabrication and installation.

"We are seeing the refinery take shape in the field. Engineering is substantially complete, several critical construction agreements are now being executed, and our focus is on delivering the project schedule," says Electra Battery Materials projects and engineering VP Paolo Toscano.