The cobalt sulphate crystalliser, which will be built in the US and shipped to site in less than 44 weeks, is for the last step in First Cobalt's hydrometallurgical refining process. It will convert cobalt concentrated in an aqueous solution into a powder called cobalt sulphate.

"Thanks to the focus and hard work of the First Cobalt team, we continue to execute our strategic business plan and remain on schedule for 2022 commissioning," said Mark Trevisiol, Vice President, Project Development. "Ordering the cobalt crystalliser in a timely manner was an important step on the construction schedule and the focus now shifts to the solvent extraction vendor package.

The First Cobalt refinery is a hydrometallurgical refinery located in the community of Temiskaming Shores, northeast Ontario. The facility operated from 1996 to 2015, producing cobalt, nickel, copper and silver products.

First Cobalt is expanding the facility and modifying the flow sheet to refine third-party cobalt hydroxide intermediate product into a high purity, battery-grade cobalt sulphate suitable for the electric vehicle market. The company remains on schedule to recommission the facility in the December 2022 quarter.

In December 2020, Canada's federal and Ontario governments announced a joint C$10 million investment in the First Cobalt refinery to help accelerate commissioning and expansion.

A crystalliser consists of various mechanical components including heat exchangers, pumps, piping, dryers and evaporators. They are assembled in a manner to allow for optimum processing and maintenance conditions. This unit will span several operating floors within the processing plant and will be the tallest structure on site.

First Cobalt and Ausenco Engineering Canada are now working on detailed engineering and procurement of the last two long lead equipment orders: solvent extraction tanks and filters.

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservations and Parks issued a new permit on May 10 to take water from Lake Timiskaming that covers potable water supply and industrial use. Two other permit applications for air and noise and industrial sewage are expected in the coming months.

Over the next few weeks, crews will mobilise to site to restore power to the refinery, turn on water pumps, complete geotechnical drilling for new buildings and refurbish existing offices.

Mark Trevisiol, vice president, project development at First Cobalt, said: "Thanks to the focus and hard work of the First Cobalt team, we continue to execute our strategic business plan and remain on schedule for 2022 commissioning. Ordering the cobalt crystalliser in a timely manner was an important step on the construction schedule and the focus now shifts to the solvent extraction vendor package."

 First Cobalt also owns the Iron Creek cobalt-copper project in Idaho, US as well as several significant cobalt and silver properties in the Canadian Cobalt Camp.