E3 Lithium entered into a teaming agreement with Germany’s TKMS on April 8 to establish a framework for cooperation on the Canadian patrol submarine project (CPSP). The agreement focuses on the integration of Canadian lithium into supply chains for defence applications and research.
TKMS is currently participating in a procurement process to provide up to 12 Arctic-capable submarines to the Royal Canadian Navy. E3 Lithium reported that the partnership includes a potential financial contribution aligned with Canada’s industrial and technological benefits policy.
Chris Doornbos, President and Chief Executive Officer of E3 Lithium, said the agreement allows the company to connect the critical minerals industry with strategic markets.
Thomas Keupp, Chief Sales Officer at TKMS, described the CPSP as a "cornerstone of Canada’s naval capability" and stated that minerals are essential for submarine technology.
Through this arrangement, the companies are, "securing access to a sustainable supply of lithium but also strengthening the industrial partnership between Germany and Canada," Keupp added.
The parties will explore strategic investment and financing pathways to increase Canadian lithium production for strategic applications. E3 Lithium is currently advancing its Clearwater project in Alberta, which is intended to extract lithium from brines using proprietary technology.
The project’s initial stage of production has a proposed capacity of 12,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year. The company stated this could potentially expand to 36,000 tonnes per year to meet demand from German and allied industrial customers.