Rock Tech Lithium combines upstream mining with downstream refining to ensure vital supply chain resilience
Rock Tech Lithium (Rock Tech) is a German Canadian technology company headquartered in Toronto. The business started off as a typical lithium exploration business in Ontario, but when the leadership team saw the emergent opportunities in refining, it made a key strategic pivot. CEO, Mirco Wojnarowicz sheds light on the decision: “We became firmly convinced that refining capacity will be the bottleneck in future li-ion battery supply chains in Europe and North America, so we shifted our focus to that,” he explains. “Now, we have integrated upstream and downstream projects, namely our Georgia Lake spodumene project close to Beardmore in Ontario, and our high-tech refineries, which we call converters, in Guben, Germany and Red Rock, Ontario. Our goal is to supply Europe and North America with sustainable, regionally produced battery-grade lithium – for an independent, resilient, and competitive value chain. In the medium term, we want to close the regional battery cycle by processing lithium from recycled old batteries.”
He continues with more details around the German converter site at Guben, which is currently under development. “All engineering studies have been completed, and the project is shovel ready. Moreover, it is fully permitted for construction and operations, so no further permits will be required. The site has been cleared and fenced off, and gas pipelines and rail facilities for transporting raw materials have been built. With an annual production capacity of 24,000 tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide, the plant will be able to supply material for around 500,000 electric vehicles. 
“We have signed a binding offtake agreement with Mercedes-Benz for 40 percent of the nameplate capacity and are in negotiations to commit another 40 percent. Spodumene feedstock supply is contractually secured with C&D Logistics, who will supply up to the full required amount from Australian or Brazilian sources.” Additionally, GEA Group AG, one of the company’s key partners and a global leader in process technology, will supply crystallization and zero-liquid discharge systems for its lithium converter in Guben.
Such is the significance of the Guben converter, that it is recognized as a strategic EU project under the Critical Raw Materials Act – one of only two hard rock lithium converter projects in Germany. “This demonstrates that our project is crucial in achieving the EU’s target of reaching 40 percent local refining for required critical raw materials by 2030,” adds Mirco.
“Financing discussions with equity and debt financiers for the Guben converter are progressing. Securing the additional 40 percent of binding offtake will be crucial for that. So far, we are seeing strong support for our project, for instance from the European Investment Bank, which has provided a 150-million-euro letter of support, and multiple export credit agencies. On top of that we are targeting 100 million euros in subsidies, which will be an important signal in the current geopolitical landscape.”
Zero-waste approach
Rock Tech is using the design of the Guben converter as its blueprint for implementing further converters, including in Canada, aiming to efficiently scale operations in a high-growth market. “Through technology and knowledge transfer, we aim to accelerate planning, approval, and implementation timelines. In addition, with our zero-waste approach and low carbon dioxide footprint – documented by a life cycle analysis – the highest environmental standards can be ensured. The converter in Ontario will have a production capacity of up to 36,000 tons of lithium hydroxide monohydrate per year. The scoping study is completed, positioning us to aim for start of production before 2030.
“Only around 100 kilometers away, we are planning to build our Georgia Lake spodumene mine. The Preliminary Feasibility Study is completed. The concentrator is designed for initially producing 100,000 tons of spodumene concentrate per year and with our advanced permitting status, we expect to be able to produce by 2029. This way, we want to build Ontario’s first regional and integrated lithium supply chain! Both projects profit from excellent infrastructure access and availability of clean electricity. Additionally, we are seeing strong support from our indigenous communities.”
With work well underway to establish a sustainable and efficient, fully integrated source of lithium for local industries, Mirco ruminates on the truly global implications of this project’s success: “Battery-grade lithium is a key component for mobile and stationary energy storage and therefore crucial for the electrification of the heat and mobility sector, for grid stability when feeding in renewable energy – for the energy transition as a whole.
“All our processes aim at producing high-quality lithium hydroxide in a sustainable way; thanks to our environmentally friendly local production, our lithium hydroxide will have a carbon footprint that is between 30 and 64 percent smaller than the current industry average for comparable products. Furthermore, we strive to use most of our by-products. Ore residues and gypsum-containing residues can be used in the building materials industry as additives in cement production, where they can help to significantly reduce carbon emissions. In the future, up to 95 percent of waste streams could be recycled. In addition to processing primary lithium ores, our refineries can also refine lithium from recycled old batteries into battery-grade products. Last, but not least, we want to ensure complete traceability of our supply chain and meet all requirements of the European battery passport.”
The coming years will be crucial in securing not only the success of this project but also in developing a sustainable source of lithium for European and North American markets, reducing the dependence on other international, more carbon-intensive alternative sources. Mirco outlines the company’s goals for this critical period: “Our goal is clear: the Final Investment Decision (FID) is the critical next milestone for our Guben project. In recent months, we have made significant progress and strengthened our competitive position with updated CapEx and OpEx figures. We are fully committed to making a valuable contribution to establishing a European battery value chain. Ultimately, we will vertically integrate upstream raw materials production with multiple lithium converter projects in Europe and North America to ensure the vital resilience in the up- and midstream parts of future lithium-ion battery supply chains.”