Avalon Advanced Materials targets lithium hydroxide refinery dominance

Avalon Advanced Materials is working to establish itself as a major lithium hydroxide refinery in North America. The Toronto-based company aims for a first-stage production capacity of 30,000 tonnes per year to address a projected global lithium shortfall around 2029.

The company is managing two primary projects. The Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements (REE) and Zirconium Project in Canada’s Northwest Territories contains deposits essential for defense, communications, and nuclear sectors. Additionally, the Lake Superior Lithium (LSLi) project in Thunder Bay is being developed as a midstream processing facility.

LSLi is designed to connect lithium resources from northern Ontario to the electric vehicle battery manufacturing ecosystem in southern Ontario and the broader North American market. The facility benefits from existing industrial infrastructure, including proximity to rail and a deep-water port.