Electra Battery begins cobalt testing program

Executive Summary

• Electra Battery Materials Corp. has launched a new geological research and feedstock integration program at its Iron Creek cobalt-copper project in Idaho, aiming to onshore critical mineral production and diversify feedstock sources for its North American refinery.
• The company is conducting bench-scale lab tests to modify its refinery flow sheet for broader acceptance of polymetallic sulphide concentrates, complementing current sourcing from Glencore and ERG.
• A new geological study using short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging is underway with the Colorado School of Mines to map mineralized zones and guide a planned drilling restart in spring 2026.

Key Details

• Project Focus: Advancing mineral deposit modelling and feedstock integration at the Iron Creek cobalt-copper project in Idaho.
• Refinery Integration: Bench-scale lab program evaluating cobalt feedstocks from North American deposits to modify the existing refinery flow sheet for polymetallic sulphide concentrates.
• Current Sourcing: Studies complement existing arrangements with Glencore and Eurasian Resources Group (ERG).
• Geological Research: Partnership with the Centre to Advance the Science of Exploration to Reclamation in Mining (CASERM) at the Colorado School of Mines.
• Technique: Application of short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging to identify iron-rich chlorite alteration zones associated with cobalt-copper mineralization at Iron Creek and the adjacent Ruby zone.
• Objective: Map margins of mineralized zones, refine the geological model, and guide future drill targeting.
• Asset Status: Iron Creek and Ruby remain open along strike and at depth; north-south faulting creates structural complexity and exploration upside.
• Permits: 10-year exploration permits secured in 2023 with the U.S. Forest Service, covering 91 designated drill pad locations across Iron Creek and Ruby.
• Drilling Schedule: Targeting a spring 2026 drilling restart based on findings from the new scanning program.
• Metallurgical Testing: Bulk samples to be collected from adit No. 1 (underground access) for metallurgical testing to refine process design parameters and assess feedstock integration.
• Refinery Timeline: Construction set to resume; commissioning targeted for 2027.
• Strategic Context: Assets identified as key for domestic mineral security under U.S. Executive Order 13817 (cobalt and copper listed as critical minerals).
• Upcoming Event: CEO Trent Mell to attend the annual Idaho Mining Association Conference on Oct. 27 to Oct. 28.

Notable Quotes

• "America needs cobalt, and we see Idaho as the best opportunity to produce it domestically... Idaho offers a transparent, strategic pathway for cobalt and copper production inside the United States, aligned with the administration's priorities for critical mineral independence." — Trent Mell, CEO
• "This program will help us unlock additional exploration potential in a structurally controlled and highly prospective region, refine our geological model and focus future drilling campaigns... By expanding the application of advanced scanning techniques, we aim to better define the geometry and extent of these mineralized zones, guiding the next phase of drilling." — Dr. Frank Santaguida, Lead Geoscientist
• "This is the next chapter for Electra. We are building a continental supply chain from the ground up, one that begins with American mining and ends with refined cobalt sulphate ready for battery production in North America." — Trent Mell, CEO