2 First Nations collaborate with B.C. company on possible battery project in Belledune

Two First Nations in northern New Brunswick are working with a British Columbia company on a project that could see a material for lithium-ion batteries produced in Belledune.

Pabineau First Nation, also known as Oinpegitjoig, and Ugpi'Ganjig First Nation, formerly known as Eel River Bar, jointly own a 10 per cent participating interest in the project, according to the Vancouver company. 

The material would contain chemical elements, including nickel, cobalt and manganese — all of which can be produced in Canada, Pabineau Chief Terry Richardson said in an interview.

It's known as precursor cathode active material, or pCAM. 

Richardson said the communities have been working with Positive Materials Inc. of B.C. for a couple of years, and he estimates a plant could lead to the creation of 220 to 240 jobs in Belledune.

He thinks the timing is right to move forward.

"It's one of the many projects we're working at the Port of Belledune on," he said. "And this one is exciting because it's one that there's a necessity right now, when you look at what's happening in the world.

"And China basically controls about 90 per cent of pCAM production. So there's a need to diversify that market. And I believe that we have the solution."

According to the Positive Materials website, pCAM is the precursor material for the cathode end of the battery — the positively charged end and the most valuable component of a lithium-ion battery. 

Lithium-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery used for a variety of devices, such as power tools, power banks, laptops, cellphones and e-scooters. 

Marco Romero, the CEO of Positive Materials, said the raw materials would be mined elsewhere and then go to the plant in Belledune to be crystallized. From there, the crystals would be sent to another operation in North America to be baked and turned into the nanoparticles for the batteries. 

Romero said that when the company was looking at Belledune as a possible location for the pCAM plant, it first went to local First Nations and explained the project idea, asking for guidance.

"The response was wonderful," Romero said. "It's morphed into a quite beautiful relationship, I'd say. We've worked very closely, very openly."

Positive Materials looked at 37 sites from Mexico up the eastern seaboard into Canada. He said Belledune was unique because it has a deep-sea, year-round port, a rail line, large tracts of land and an industrial workforce.