Ontario Investing $262,500 to Advance Lithium Processing in Northwestern Ontario
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Provincial investment connects Ontario’s forestry and mining sectors while supporting a stronger domestic critical minerals supply chain
News Release | July 10th, 2026
THUNDER BAY — The Ontario government is investing $262,500 through the Critical Minerals
Innovation Fund to support new lithium-processing research led by Rock Tech Lithium in Northwestern Ontario.
The project will examine whether crude tall oil, a byproduct of Ontario’s pulp and paper industry, can be used as a more affordable and lower-emission input during lithium processing.
Working with Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper, Rock Tech Lithium will test the forestry-derived material as a flotation reagent used to separate lithium-bearing minerals from surrounding rock.
“As we face a common threat from China, Premier Ford launched Fortress North America, designed to strengthen the resilience of Ontario’s mineral sector while we work to advance domestic mining projects,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “To secure the resources essential for advanced manufacturing, energy security and national defence, Ontario is stepping up by investing $262,500 in Rock Tech Lithium as part of our plan to build mines faster and invest in made-in-Ontario innovation.”
If successfully validated, the technology could help reduce processing costs and emissions while
decreasing reliance on foreign or conventional processing materials. It could also create a new use for a product generated by Ontario’s forest sector.
“Northwestern Ontario has the natural resources, skilled workers and industrial experience needed to play a leading role in Ontario’s critical minerals future,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan and Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products. “As Associate Minister, I am pleased to see this investment bring our mining and forestry sectors together by exploring a new use for a forestry byproduct in lithium processing. This made-in-Ontario innovation could create new opportunities for our forest sector, strengthen our domestic critical minerals supply chain and support good jobs and long-term economic growth across Northern Ontario.”
The initiative supports Ontario’s plan to build a more secure and self-reliant critical minerals supply
chain. It will help advance the province’s goal of having more Ontario minerals processed and refined
within the province by Ontario workers.
“We’re proud to have the continued support of the Government of Ontario through this latest intake of the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund,” said Mirco Wojnarowicz, CEO of Rock Tech Lithium. “The future of critical minerals competitiveness will be driven not only by what we mine, but by how we process and innovate. This project brings together Ontario’s strengths in critical minerals, forestry and research to evaluate a practical solution that could reduce emissions, strengthen project economics and create new opportunities for domestic industry.”
The project also supports Rock Tech Lithium’s broader plans in Northwestern Ontario, including the
Georgia Lake Lithium Project and the proposed Red Rock Lithium Converter.
Since its launch in 2022, the Critical Minerals Innovation Fund has supported the development and
commercialization of new technologies across Ontario’s mining and minerals sector. These projects are helping strengthen domestic processing capacity, improve competitiveness and create new
opportunities for Ontario businesses and workers.
Quick Facts
Ontario has invested a total of $25 million through the CMIF, supporting a total of 47 projects that advance domestic innovation in the critical minerals sector.
The government has also launched a $500 million Critical Minerals Processing Fund to
accelerate the development of domestic processing capacity.
Ontario’s mining sector is a significant economic driver, contributing approximately $14.4 billion
to Ontario’s GDP annually and supporting around 150,000 direct and indirect jobs.
This initiative supports Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy which seeks to secure the province’s position as a reliable global supplier of responsibly sourced critical minerals.