Innovation Summer 2025

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS | 2024-2025

SUSTAINABLE LITHIUM REFINING

NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. (NESI) was commissioned and has delivered a lithium chloride electrolysis plant to Vulcan Energy Resources Limited in Frankfurt, Germany. This electrolysis plant uses renewable energy to convert lithium from geothermal brines to battery-grade, high-purity lithium hydroxide for use in electric vehicles. The lithium produced from this facility represents the first time lithium hydroxide has been produced in Europe from European sources. NESI’s electrolysis technologies offer a sustainable way to refine lithium hydroxide without the production of liquid effluents, which greatly improves the environmental footprint of the process allowing low carbon lithium production at scale to support the electrification of mobility.

Company: NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. Participants: Jeremy Moulson, P.Eng.; Robert Lion, P.Eng.; James Smith; Luke Glynn; Wes French. P hoto : C ourtesy of E mbassy of C anada to G ermany

BIODEGRADABLE GEOBAG FOR WASTEWATER OR STORMWATER Keystone Environmental Ltd., supported by CN Rail, developed a biodegradable geobag that has proven to be effective in dewatering performance. It has a faster dewatering rate compared to its synthetic counterpart, while facilitating a more sustainable waste disposal practice at CN wastewater treatment plants across North America. When full, the biodegradable geobags are accepted at industrial waste sites, including thermal recycling facilities and landfills that had previously rejected synthetic geobags. The biodegradable geobag and industrial sludge is now diverted from the landfills, thermally treated, and directed to mine reclamation sites. The research and development of the project spanned over 7 years, starting with a feasibility study, going through material selection (including cost-effective sourcing), and pilot-testing multiple materials and different layering configurations. The biodegradable geobag is currently registered as a patent under CN in Canada and patent

application is in progress in the U.S. Company: Keystone Environmental Ltd.

Participants: Keystone Environmental Ltd.: Christina Chan, P.Eng.; Jill Lam, EIT. CN Rail: Seble Afework, P.Eng (ON).; Oskar Pula, P.Ag. Envirogreen Technologies Ltd.: David Isopo. Layfield Geosynthetics. P hoto : S ubmitted by Keystone Environmental Ltd.

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Summer 2025

Innovation