As Ontario works to strengthen its critical minerals sector, Rock Tech Lithium, a German-Canadian critical minerals company that develops the next-generation of lithium converters to supply Europe and North America with sustainable battery-grade lithium, is testing an innovative processing method that could support a more localized and sustainable battery materials supply chain.
Rock Tech Lithium recently announced that it was awarded $262,500 from Ontario's Critical Minerals Innovation ("CMIF") fund to evaluate the use of crude tall oil, a by-product of Ontario's pulp and paper industry, as potentially locally sourced flotation reagent for lithium processing.
The press release states that "Crude tall oil may have potential application in mineral flotation processes used during processing to separate lithium-bearing minerals from waste rock, with the objective of improving processing efficiency while supporting a more localized supply chain by leveraging a pulp and paper by-product. This by-product produced by Ontario's pulp and paper sector and could serve as a new way for Ontario's pulp and paper industry to monetize this output while enhancing the sustainability and affordability of lithium processing in Ontario, if successfully validated and incorporated into future project design.
Similar to Rock Tech's recently announced completion of its CMIF-supported ore sorting program (refer to Press Release - Rock Tech Advances Georgia Lake Lithium Project, Identifies Potential Pathway to Reduce Processing CAPEX by Up to 50 per cent, dated May 19, 2026), this project is designed to evaluate whether locally sourced crude tall oil could support future processing efficiency, reduce reliance on imported or conventional reagents and inform future cost-optimization work for the Georgia Lake Project.
Strengthening Ontario's Critical Minerals Supply Chain Through Innovation
The project arrives at an important moment for Ontario's critical minerals sector, as the Province of Ontario has identified the development of domestic critical minerals supply chains as a strategic priority, including supply chains supporting advanced manufacturing and energy storage."
Rock Tech Lithium's evaluation of crude tall oil could not only improve the efficiency and sustainability of lithium processing but also create new economic opportunities for Ontario's pulp and paper industry.
You can read the full press release by clicking here.
Helen Roush is Executive Vice President of Paperitalo Publications.
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