The Grota do Cirilo project in Minas Gerais state is on track to begin producing early next year.

Piedmont's first steps toward securing lithium supplies will be in Quebec or Ghana.

Treasury Secretary said the US should work on shifting dependence on some nations for supplies of critical inputs.

The government had previously planned to announce its final selection last month.

The southern African country holds some of the world's largest deposits of lithium.

Li-Cycle is among a handful of companies looking to cash in on demand for the recovered materials, with companies including Tesla Inc. expressing concerns over supplies of nickel and lithium.