20.89°C Vancouver

Sep 8, 2023 9:49 PM - CONNECT NEWS

Alberta's first lithium pilot project opens, Expected To Create new Jobs

Share On
albertas-first-lithium-pilot-project-opens-expected-to-create-new-jobs
E3 Lithium employees walk through the company's lithium pilot plant Alta. (PHOTO: X/e3lithium)

Alberta got out of the starting gates in the global critical minerals race Thursday with the opening of the province's first lithium extraction pilot project.With this opening, the state has joined the global lithium race.

with this project new job opportunities are expected to be created.

Lithium, a light metal, is in demand around the globe right now because it is a key component in electric vehicle batteries.

Currently, the world's biggest lithium producers are Australia, Chile and China. However, it has long been known that Alberta is home to one of the world's largest lithium deposits, located deep underground in the Leduc geological formation, which is also a major oil-and-gas producing area.

E3 Lithium Company has established its lithium plant near the town of Olds in central Alberta.

E3 Lithium CEO Chris Doornbos called the occasion the start of a "new era" for the province's traditionally oil-and-gas-dominated economy.

"The opportunity to be a global leader, and to make Alberta a lithium jurisdiction, is really and truly here.”

The company plans to pilot its technology over the course of this fall, with the goal of opening a full-scale commercial plant in the same area by late 2026.

That facility could process up to 150,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium product, Doornbos said, ready to be sold directly to battery producers and EV companies.

Latest news

victim-identified-in-fatal-langley-shooting
BCSep 11, 2025

Victim identified in fatal Langley shooting

The victim of Friday’s fatal shooting in Langley has been identified as 24-year-old Taran Pandher. IHIT’s Integrated Gang Homicide Team (IGHT) has taken conduct of the investigation. Background: On September 5, 2025, at approximately 10:28 p.m. the Langley RCMP responded reports of a shooting around 200 Street and 53 Avenue, Langley. Frontline officers arrived promptly, located the victim and initiated lifesaving measures. Despite their efforts, the victim succumbed to their injures at the scene. The shooting occurred while the victim was inside a taxi and there is only one victim and no o
albertas-smith-says-tight-budget-means-teachers-face-a-stark-choice-in-bargaining
AlbertaSep 11, 2025

Alberta's Smith says tight budget means teachers face a stark choice in bargaining

With a provincewide teachers strike looming, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says their union has a stark choice between heftier pay hikes and more teachers. Smith suggests they can have one or the other, but they can't have both. Smith made the comments today to reporters when asked about stalled contract talks between her government and the Alberta Teachers' Association, the day after the union set a strike date of Oct. 6. Alberta has offered wage hikes starting at 12 per cent over four years, with a promise to hire 3,000 teachers over three years. The union says that's not e
here-are-the-first-major-projects-on-ottawas-fast-track-list
CanadaSep 11, 2025

Here are the first major projects on Ottawa's fast-track list

Prime Minister Mark Carney named the first five projects on the federal government's fast-track list on Thursday — part of his plan to attract outside investment and bolster the Canadian economy.The projects include planned energy development, mining and port infrastructure projects from the West Coast to Central Canada.The government also released an expanded list of projects not quite ready for prime time that includes additional initiatives in Eastern Canada and the North.The first five initiatives will be referred for review to the new Major Projects Office, which the government says wil
one-dead-in-burnaby-shooting
BCSep 11, 2025

One dead in Burnaby shooting

A man was killed in a shooting in a parking lot in Burnaby yesterday. Police said they received multiple reports of shots fired in the 4400 block of Still Creek Drive around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Homicide investigators remained on scene late into the night examining evidence. Burnaby RCMP said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said about 15 minutes later officers received a report of a vehicle on fire near Nursery Street and Lakefield Drive and investigators are trying to determine if the two incidents are linked. Police said while the investigation is still in its early
conservatives-plan-to-introduce-their-own-bill-on-bail-reform-this-fall
CanadaSep 11, 2025

Conservatives plan to introduce their own bill on bail reform this fall

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will introduce a bill this fall that would make it harder for peopleaccused of certain crimes to get bail.   Poilievre says the proposal would create a new category of major offences that includes things like sexual assault, kidnapping, human trafficking, home invasion and firearms charges. The Conservative bill would impose a reverse onus on people accused of such crimes requiring that they prove they should be released on bail.Premiers, police associations and the federal Tories have been calling for stricter bail laws in recent months.

Related News