New lithium discovery in Canada will boost North American battery production

A spodumene-bearing pegmatite has been found on Comet Lithium’s Elmer East property in northern Quebec. The zone continues for about 260 feet (76 meters) so far.

It remains open to the east, which means geologists have not yet found the end. Field teams collected 66 rock samples in late June 2025 to test the rock’s lithium content.

What Comet Lithium found

The technical lead is Vincent Cardin-Tremblay, vice president exploration at Comet Lithium. The outcrop hosts spodumene, a lithium-bearing pyroxene mineral, which is the mineral most battery producers want.

Spodumene is the primary hard rock source of lithium that is used in batteries, the USGS reports.

Geologists classify many lithium-rich pegmatites as LCT type, a lithium, cesium, and tantalum-rich pegmatite family. That grouping reflects how these rocks form during late stage magma evolution.

The exposed pegmatite averages 3 to 7 feet (0.9 to 2.1 meters) in width. Mapping tracks it along strike, the lengthwise direction of the rock body.

Crews worked from June 25 to June 30, 2025 to support a lab measurement of metal content. Results will guide whether more detailed work is justified.

Follow up work could include channel sampling, meaning rock-cut sampling along a measured line. It can show how grades change across the width of the dyke.

When geologists say an area is “open,” they mean mapping and sampling have not closed the target. More work will help identify the edges of the deposit.

Reading lithium-bearing rocks

The host rock, pegmatite, is a very coarse grained, igneous rock. LCT pegmatites often carry muscovite and black tourmaline, which are hard, boron-rich accessory minerals. Those companions are typical when lithium-bearing melts cool slowly.

Pale green spodumene crystals can appear washed out on weathered surfaces. Fresh breaks usually show clearer faces that help with field identification.

Satellite images and drones help spot remote outcrops, and geologists then verify those targets with mapping and hand samples.

Elmer East lies in the Eastmain Greenstone Belt about 62 miles north northwest of the Nemiscau Cree community. The area forms part of a classic greenstone belt where ancient volcanic and sedimentary rock is prevalent.

Quebec’s geoscience authority provides a regional synthesis. Multiple granite intrusions in the belt can feed pegmatite swarms.

Why patience is vital

An outcrop discovery like this signals potential, not a mine. The numbers here describe geometry, but that should not be confused with grade.

Canada requires a qualified person to sign off on technical disclosures and sampling plans. That role is defined in National Instrument 43-101, an investor protection rule published by regulators.

Comet Lithium plans to test the eastern extension using trenching, which is shallow excavation to expose bedrock. Trenching and channels can connect small windows into a more coherent picture.

“The discovery of spodumene mineralization at the Elmer East property is an exciting development for Comet Lithium” said Vincent Metcalfe, president and CEO at Comet Lithium.

Teams may also run survey methods that map rocks with physics. Those data points help position drill collars and avoid guesswork.

Lithium and batteries

Lithium demand grew about 30 percent in 2023 across clean energy uses. Battery growth has remained the key driver in that increase.

Spodumene concentrate is produced mainly in Australia, with refining concentrated in a small number of countries. New sources in North America can increase security of supply and shorten shipping routes.

Rock mined as concentrate must go through refining – chemical processing that makes battery grade salts. Projects near converters can reduce transport steps and improve timelines.

Next steps for Comet Lithium

Once assays arrive, teams build 3D interpretations that merge mapping and geochemistry into a first pass model. That step helps decide where to test continuity with drilling, a method that is used to recover rock from depth.

If continuity is confirmed, engineers may conduct a formal calculation of tonnage and grade. That estimate requires tight spacing and quality control beyond early fieldwork.

Work in this region takes place near Cree communities with long ties to the land. Companies pursue engagement to align exploration with community goals.

Early programs usually disturb small areas that can be restored quickly. Crews plan to restore disturbed sites as part of their routine field practice.

A deep igneous process controls how pegmatites concentrate lithium. That process has been described by modern researchers who connect crystal growth to late stage magmas.

Information from a press release by Comet Lithium.

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