First Phosphate Advances its Lac à l’Orignal Property as a Unique Source for the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Battery Industry

First Phosphate Advances its Lac à l’Orignal Property as a Unique Source for the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Battery Industry

As the only company in North America fully dedicated to extracting and refining advanced phosphate material for the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery industry, First Phosphate Corp. is well positioned for success as demand for electrical vehicles grows aggressively worldwide.

First Phosphate has attracted top talent from around the world with decades of experience in mining, business, and responsible resource development, including its President Peter Kent. Mr. Kent was an international journalist, Member of Parliament, and served as Canada’s Environment Minister from 2011-2013, during which time he oversaw improvements to the environmental assessment process for Canadian mining projects.

With over 1,500 square kilometres of total land claims in the Saguenay Region of Quebec that it is actively developing, First Phosphate is looking to tap into a niche market and establish itself as the go-to supplier of ethically sourced, low carbon footprint, high grade battery phosphate material, integrating directly into the supply chains of major battery producers in North America

Currently, North American phosphate material is entirely dedicated to fertilizer applications, and at least 85 per cent of the world’s phosphate reserve base comes from North Africa and the Middle East, which are geopolitically sensitive, unstable regions.

On the other hand, First Phosphate’s deposit is located in the secure, mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec and consists of a rare anorthosite igneous rock formation that generally yields high purity phosphate concentrate that is devoid of high concentrations of deleterious heavy metals, making it ideal for battery applications. 

With much lower capital requirements than historical projects in the region and an optimal location – approximately 110-kilometre driving distance north of the City of Saguenay, Quebec’s sixth largest city, which is 30-kilometre driving distance from the deep sea Port of Saguenay – First Phosphate’s compelling investment proposition is exciting investors and potential partners. 

While the vast majority of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries are currently made in China, both Canada and the United States have recognized the urgent need to build domestic capacity and establish their own electric vehicle supply chains as governments seek to tackle climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy. First Phosphate is seeking to be part of this solution.

First Phosphate recently announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Port of Saguenay to engage in discussions to provide the company with potential deep sea access to ship phosphate concentrate internationally and greenfield land on which to build its facilities. The deal comes on the heels of newly re-elected Quebec Premier Francois Legault’s electoral commitment to invest $117.2 million in infrastructure at the Port of Saguenay.

First Phosphate has also partnered with the globally recognized Pufahl Research Group at Queen’s University to determine the detailed mineralogy and geochemistry of phosphatic ore and waste minerals at its Lac à l’Orignal property, a step which complements the bulk geochemical assays and metallurgy being conducted by SGS Canada Inc. (Quebec / Lakefield).

The company has already received promising assay results for its Bégin-Lamarche property, confirming the presence of high-grade phosphate, and is expecting to announce its 43-101 technical report results for Lac à l’Orignal this fall.

With abundant natural resources, including all of the critical minerals required for electric vehicle production, clean and affordable energy, modern infrastructure, world-class talent, cutting-edge research and development, and seamless integration into the North American automotive manufacturing industry, Canada has an opportunity to be a global leader in the sustainable automotive ecosystem.

Canada’s list of critical minerals contains 31 minerals that are “essential to Canada’s economic security, required for Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy”. These include battery metals like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and graphite. While phosphate rock is on the critical materials list in the European Union and in the Province of Ontario, it is currently under review in the Province of Quebec, in Canada, in the United States and around the world, indicating its crucial role in the industrial supply chain.

According to a recent Clean Energy Canada report,  a domestic EV battery supply chain could support up to 250,000 jobs by 2030 and add $48 billion to the Canadian economy annually.

Major electric vehicle manufacturers including Ford, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have all begun the development of electric vehicles powered by LFP batteries citing their many benefits, such as improved  availability of materials and  lower cost. For companies like First Phosphate, this is exciting news as they develop their phosphate mining operations with the goal of delivering a high purity phosphate concentrate to be known globally as “Quebec Rock Phosphate” for use in the LFP battery industry worldwide.