Canmine expands cobalt refinery

Canmine Resources is modifying its namesake refinery in Cobalt, Ont., after closing a $6.7-million financing this past summer.

A 13,388-sq.-ft. expansion, which will roughly double the size of the plant, is nearly complete.

Also, with the help of Toronto-based engineering firm AMEC, the laboratory is being retrofitted for custom processing, and various contractors are installing pumps, boilers and brick-lined vessels.

When the modifications are completed in early December, the refinery will be Canada’s only producer of value-added cobalt chemical compounds. These compounds are used to make rechargeable batteries, which are used in cell phones, laptop computers and power tools.

Improvements to the refinery will create 32 permanent jobs.