Sudbury takes early lead in bidding race for Ring of Fire processing
The location isn't final, a feasibility study hasn't been launched yet, and the mine is years away from being permitted, but that isn't standing in the way of efforts to kickstart production from the Ring of Fire as Sudbury becomes the first community to formally embrace hosting a new processing facility.
(Photo courtesy Mines Minister George Pirie)
In an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) announced on May 29 in Sudbury, the multimillion-dollar facility will be the first in Canada to process nickel sulphate and nickel-dominant precursor cathode active material (pCAM) for electric vehicle batteries.
The plant will refine nickel from Wyloo’s Eagle’s Nest Mine in the James Bay Ring of Fire mineral belt, expecting to produce enough material to supply 250,000 electric vehicles annually, potentially tripling with third-party inputs.
Wyloo Canada’s CEO, Kristan Straub, estimates the project will cost between $800 million and $900 million, with final costs pending a feasibility study. The company is working closely with the city and First Nations on the study, ensuring community involvement.
While the exact site in Sudbury remains undisclosed, it's targeted for an industrial development zone. Construction is slated to begin after the Eagle’s Nest Mine starts in 2027, promising "several hundreds of jobs" at the plant.
Funding options include First Nation investments and government support, with Wyloo leveraging recent announcements of funding mechanisms in Canada and the U.S. to advance the project. Straub noted the plant’s role in alleviating bottlenecks in battery chemical supplies, vital for the burgeoning EV market.
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