en.Wedoany.com Reported - PMET Resources Inc. of Canada announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd. (MWCC) of Japan. The three parties will jointly evaluate the application of MWCC's proprietary microwave calcination technology at PMET's Shaakichiuwaanaan project in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada, to produce higher-value lithium products.
This collaboration is based on a concept study recently completed by PMET, which identified potential pathways for producing battery-grade lithium carbonate at the project site and capturing additional value within the lithium supply chain. Microwave calcination technology is considered a key enabling technology to support this goal, utilizing Quebec's low-cost renewable hydroelectric power for the electric calcination of spodumene concentrate, thereby offering a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuel-based calcination.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, 1.5 tonnes of coarse spodumene concentrate grading 6.2% Li₂O, collected from previous heavy media separation pilot test work at Shaakichiuwaanaan, will be shipped to MWCC's pilot facility in Osaka, Japan. MWCC will lead the technical testing, while Mitsui will support the evaluation of future commercialization pathways for the project. Ken Brinsden, CEO and Managing Director, stated that the evaluation of microwave calcination technology is a direct extension of PMET's downstream growth strategy, with the potential to integrate Shaakichiuwaanaan into a more integrated Western lithium supply chain, leveraging Quebec's low-cost renewable hydropower.
Calcination is the first step in converting spodumene concentrate into downstream lithium chemicals, traditionally relying on fossil fuels such as natural gas or coal to generate heat. Mitsui and MWCC have previously initiated joint development demonstration experiments for microwave-based, low-emission lithium ore refining technology. Quebec's large-scale renewable hydropower program can provide one of the lowest-cost electricity supplies in North America. Applying this power to the spodumene calcination step is expected to become a key source of competitive advantage for downstream projects.
On June 14, 2026, PMET released a concept study confirming the opportunity for on-site conversion of spodumene concentrate into high-value lithium chemical products, selecting Primero's ALi® atmospheric leaching process as the preferred pathway. The study successfully produced 99.8% battery-grade lithium carbonate at laboratory scale using Shaakichiuwaanaan spodumene concentrate. The study concluded that combining electric calcination with downstream lithium conversion would help create a more efficient, lower-emission lithium supply chain, reduce logistics intensity, and increase value capture within Canada.
The Memorandum of Understanding is non-binding and non-exclusive. Any future commercial deployment is subject to successful testing, technical and economic evaluation, final agreements, funding, permits, approvals, and other customary conditions.
About Mitsui & Co., Ltd.: A global trading and investment enterprise with experience in project development and industrial collaboration across natural resources, energy, infrastructure, and chemicals. About Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd.: A company specializing in industrial microwave process development, planning to validate its proprietary technology using spodumene samples provided by PMET in this collaboration. About PMET Resources Inc.: A pegmatite critical minerals exploration and development company, with its core asset being the Shaakichiuwaanaan project. The project has completed a lithium-only feasibility study, with an initial mineral reserve of 84.3 million tonnes grading 1.26% Li₂O (probable). The project also hosts total indicated resources of 108.0 million tonnes (1.40% Li₂O, 166 ppm Ta₂O₅) and inferred resources of 33.4 million tonnes, ranking among the top ten lithium pegmatites globally.
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