TORONTO, May 19, 2026 — Rock Tech completed a pilot program that explored sensor-based ore sorting for the Georgia Lake lithium project in Northern Ontario, a test funded in part by the Ontario Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF) and carried out with Queen’s University and STARK Resources. The program combined laboratory and pilot-scale evaluations using UV Laser sorting from Optimum N.V. and X-ray transmission sorting from allmineral Aufbereitungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG. Results are preliminary but promising: the program reports removal of approximately 25–45% waste ahead of the concentrator and an upgrade factor of about 1.4x–1.8x for the remaining feed, which could materially change downstream processing needs.
What the tests measured and how they were done
The work used two distinct sample types: selected drill core to calibrate and refine sorting algorithms and a blended surface-derived sample for small-scale pilot trials. Testing took place under controlled conditions at external sorting facilities with pilot-scale equipment to simulate pre-concentration operations. By removing a significant portion of barren material before crushing and grinding, the sorting step effectively increases the average lithium concentration sent to the concentrator. The program was co-funded (see press release dated June 23, 2026) and targeted practical, scalable technology options rather than conceptual lab-only methods, emphasizing real-world integration risks and opportunities.
Implications for project economics and plant design
Integrating sensor-based ore sorting ahead of the plant could reduce the size and complexity of the crushing and concentrator circuits. Early value-engineering work indicates a potential to cut future crushing and concentrator capital expenditure (capex) by up to 50%, subject to detailed engineering and validation. Because sorted feed carries a higher effective lithium grade—thanks to the reported 1.4x–1.8x upgrade—the concentrator could achieve the same output with lower throughput or smaller equipment, which translates into lower initial investment and potentially reduced operating expenditure (opex) through less grinding and processing of waste rock.
Relation to the 2026 pre-feasibility study
The Georgia Lake project previously underwent a Pre-Feasibility Study announced November 16, 2026, based on a conventional 1.0 million tonnes per annum concentrator, a nine-year mine life and a target of roughly 100,000 tonnes per year of 6% spodumene concentrate. The 2026 PFS reported an Indicated resource of 10.6 million tonnes at 0.88% Li2O and an Inferred resource of 4.2 million tonnes at 1.00% Li2O, with PFS economics that included pre-production capex of USD$192 million and a life-of-project capex of USD$291 million. The sorting program offers a pathway to revisit those inputs by potentially allowing lower-grade material into mine plans and by lowering plant size assumptions in a future technical update.
Next steps, limitations and planned workstreams
Rock Tech frames the results as a basis to restart targeted development activities: additional drilling, further value engineering, and integration of sorting into updated technical studies that could support a Definitive Feasibility Study. The company stresses that the current findings are preliminary and derived from limited-scale tests; they have not been integrated into any current mineral reserve or feasibility-level study. Any changes to capital costs, operating costs, reserves, or detailed plant designs will require follow-up engineering, pilot validation at scale, and formal technical disclosure under NI 43-101 standards.
Commercial and strategic context
The program aligns with Rock Tech’s broader Ontario mine-to-converter strategy and complements its planned Red Rock Converter, supporting a regional supply chain for battery materials. Rock Tech also points to its converter assets — including the Guben facility in Germany and an Ontario converter project with up to 32,000 tonnes LCE per year capacity — as part of its effort to build resilient, locally sourced lithium supply. The company and Ontario officials highlight how public-private-research collaboration can drive processing innovation that strengthens project economics while supporting jobs and domestic critical minerals capacity.
Conclusion
In summary, the CMIF-backed ore-sorting program delivered measurable pilot results—25–45% waste rejection and a feed upgrade of 1.4x–1.8x—that suggest a credible route to lower capex and opex at Georgia Lake if confirmed at scale. Rock Tech intends to pursue further work to validate integration and assess the full economic impact, while noting that definitive outcomes will depend on future engineering and feasibility studies. The initiative demonstrates how targeted technology trials can create optionality for lithium projects within evolving regional supply chains.
