Rock Tech Lithium has received a $262,500 grant from Ontario’s Critical Minerals Innovation Fund to assess the feasibility of using crude tall oil—a by-product of the province’s pulp and paper industry—as a flotation reagent in lithium processing. The project, conducted in partnership with Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper and Queen’s University, aims to validate whether locally sourced crude tall oil can separate lithium-bearing minerals more efficiently while fostering a made-in-Ontario supply chain.
By leveraging a forestry by-product, the initiative seeks to establish a new market for crude tall oil and reduce dependence on imported or conventional reagents. Test work will generate data to guide future technical and economic optimization, potentially lowering processing costs and associated emissions. If successful, this approach could support cleaner, more resilient supply chains for battery materials, advanced manufacturing and energy storage applications.
This project complements Rock Tech’s broader Ontario strategy, which includes the Georgia Lake Lithium Project and plans for a Red Rock lithium converter. It follows the company’s earlier Critical Minerals Innovation Fund–supported ore-sorting program, which identified a preliminary pathway to reduce future crushing and concentrator capital costs by up to 50 percent based on initial testing of Georgia Lake material.
Mirco Wojnarowicz, Chief Executive Officer of Rock Tech Lithium, said, “By connecting Ontario’s critical minerals, forestry and research sectors, we’re evaluating practical innovations that could strengthen project economics, lower emissions and create new opportunities for domestic industry.”
Kevin Holland, Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder Bay–Atikokan, added, “This investment will help forge stronger ties between our mining and forestry sectors, driving innovation and economic growth in Northern Ontario.” Charlotte Gibson, Assistant Professor at Queen’s University’s Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining, noted, “We’re excited to continue collaborating with Rock Tech on a project that could establish local reagent supply chains and improve the sustainability of lithium production in the province.”
No new mineral resource estimates or economic studies are being disclosed at this time; results remain preliminary and subject to further engineering review. The work underscores Ontario’s commitment to developing domestic critical minerals supply chains through cross-sector collaboration and innovation.
Source: Rock Tech Lithium
