The company also announced a partnership deal with Spain's largest power utility Iberdrola.

The facility will make separator film for lithium-ion batteries.

Serbia blocked mine after mass environmental protests.

Long-term supply deal gives the Canadian recycling firm an inside track with one of the world’s biggest commodities producers.

The popularity of electric vehicles has driven prices for battery metals sharply higher, even sparking fears of shortages of materials like lithium, cobalt and nickel.

There are "very active discussions with a number of players" to develop an EV supply chain, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in an interview.