Source: Canadian Energy Metals Corp (2026)
Website: https://canadianenergymetals.com/thor-project
Critical Data
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throughput | 16.4 | Mt/year | Annual feed tonnage (dry basis) |
| Mill Power | 108 | MW | Total electrical operating load for process plant |
| Target Grind Size | 1000 | µm | P80 from Vertical Roller Mill grinding circuit |
| Head Grade | 13.4 | % | Feed Al2O3 grade (dry wt./dry wt. %) |
| Recovery % | 81.1 | % | Overall process recovery of alumina |
| Processing Capacity | 1.78 | Mt Al2O3/year | Total annual alumina product recovery |
| Energy Consumption | 108 | MW | Electrical demand; thermal energy not included |
| Water Consumption | 3.34 | m³/t | Based on annual water feed of 54.7 Mt/year per 16.4 Mt feed |
| Operating Hours | 24 | hours/day | Assumed continuous operation at 90% availability (8,760 hours/year) |
Overview
Canadian Energy Metals Corp. is advancing the Thor Property, a black shale deposit in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, with a candidate flowsheet designed to produce high-purity alumina (HPA) and chemical-grade alumina (CGA). The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) dated February 2025 details a multi-step recovery method centered on hydrochloric acid (HCl) leaching, crystallization, and proprietary pyrometallurgical processing. This alumina recovery method is significant because it targets a previously untapped resource—black shale clay—and aims to produce custom CGA at 99.9% purity and custom HPA at 99.99% purity, with an overall process recovery of 81.1%. The flowsheet integrates comminution, atmospheric HCl leaching, residue neutralization, impurity removal, and HCl recovery to achieve high efficiency and recycle most acid and water. With an annual feed tonnage of 16.4 million tonnes and a product recovery of 1.78 million tonnes of alumina per year, the Thor Project represents a major potential source of specialty alumina for North American markets. The innovative use of HCl gas sparging to selectively precipitate aluminum chloride hexahydrate (ACH) and the novel pre-crystallizer impurity removal system are central to achieving the required product grades. The facility is planned for a location in Saskatchewan, leveraging existing rail and municipal infrastructure. This alumina recovery method is designed to address both economic viability and environmental stewardship through acid recycling and residue management.
Key Process Stages
- Stage 1: Comminution (Crushing and Grinding) – Run-of-mine ore passes through a grizzly and roll sizer to achieve a P80 of approximately 75 mm. Crushed material is stored in a coarse feed stockpile dome, then reclaimed and fed to a Vertical Roller Mill (VRM) with an integrated classifier for dry grinding to a target P80 of approximately 1,000 µm. Grind size optimization is ongoing through leach testing.
- Stage 2: Hydrochloric Acid Leaching – Ground feed is combined with recycled HCl solution in a series of agitated atmospheric tanks. The acid solubilizes aluminum and other metals, generating aqueous aluminum chloride, metal chlorides, water, and silica-bearing residue. The resulting slurry is filtered on horizontal belt filters to separate the aluminum-rich Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) from washed leach residue.
- Stage 3: Residue Neutralization – Washed leach residue is repulped with lime (calcium hydroxide) in an agitated tank to neutralize residual acid. The neutralized slurry is then filtered, with the liquid sent to a lime slaker to regenerate calcium hydroxide for reuse. The solid waste, classified as potentially acid-generating (PAG), is transferred to a residue treatment and storage system designed to manage acid mine drainage.
- Stage 4: Crystallization (High-Purity and PLS) – Two parallel crystallization circuits operate using recycled HCl-rich vapour sparged into agitated tanks. Sparging increases free acidity, reduces aluminum solubility, and selectively precipitates aluminum as Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (ACH). For HPA production, PLS first undergoes a proprietary pre-crystallizer impurity removal step. The ACH crystals are separated via belt filtration from the mother liquor.
- Stage 5: Calcination and HCl Recovery – ACH from high-purity crystallization is converted to custom High Purity Alumina (HPA) via proprietary pyrometallurgical methods. ACH from the PLS crystallization is similarly processed to produce Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA). Both products are bagged and stored. Meanwhile, a proprietary HCl recovery system recycles the majority of acid and water from the crystallization mother liquors, minimizing fresh reagent consumption.
Additional Interesting Data and Summary
The Thor Project’s recovery methods rely on a carefully designed mass balance that handles 17.0 Mt/year of wet feed, 54.7 Mt/year of water, and 66.2 Mt/year of air, while generating 15.3 Mt/year of leach residue, 1.43 Mt/year of custom CGA, 0.35 Mt/year of custom HPA, and 2.21 Mt/year of other oxide byproducts. The total energy demand is substantial, with CGA calcination alone consuming 43.2 million GJ/year and the HCl recovery system requiring 71.3 million GJ/year. Steam generation adds 57.7 million GJ/year, highlighting the energy-intensive nature of the flowsheet. Environmental considerations are central: the leach residue is classified as potentially acid generating (PAG), necessitating a dedicated residue treatment and storage facility designed to prevent acid mine drainage. Lime neutralization and lime slaking circuits ensure residual acid is managed, with quicklime (CaO) consumption estimated at 0.59 Mt/year and caustic (NaOH) at 0.47 Mt/year for scrubbing applications. Economically, the project is designed to produce two alumina grades—CGA at 99.9% purity and HPA at 99.99% purity—each targeting specialty markets. The estimated daily production at 90% availability is 3.9 kt/day of CGA and 1.0 kt/day of HPA, totaling 1.4 Mt/year and 0.4 Mt/year respectively. Sustainability initiatives include investigating biomass as an alternative fuel source to natural gas (4.47 Mt/year planned) and recycling the majority of hydrochloric acid through a proprietary recovery system, reducing fresh acid make-up to just 0.02 Mt/year. The future outlook includes further leach testing to optimize grind size (currently targeting P80 1,000 µm but with leach kinetics validated at P88 595 µm) and refining the proprietary impurity removal and crystallization steps. The significance of this facility lies in its pioneering approach to recovering high-value alumina from black shale clay in Saskatchewan, a region with established mining infrastructure. With a total electrical power demand of 108 MW and reliance on rail delivery for reagents (HCl, quicklime, caustic) and municipal potable water from Tisdale, the Thor Project is positioned as a potential cornerstone for North American non-bauxite alumina production. Forward-looking statements in the PEA emphasize that the candidate flowsheet is based on bench-scale testing and assumptions that will require pilot-scale validation and detailed engineering prior to construction.
Key Processes: Crushing
Target Commodities: N/A
Technical report and processing history
The following archived source profiles have been consolidated here to preserve the project’s processing history and study context.
Thor Property — 2025 Preliminary Economic Assessment
Thor Property — 2025 Preliminary Economic Assessment
| Company | Canadian Energy Metals Corp |
| Date | 2025 |
| Region | Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada |
| Commodities | Alumina |
| Mine Type | Not Specified |
| Throughput | 16.4 Mt/year |
| Annual Production | 1.78 Mt Al2O3 |
| Status | Development |
Executive Summary
Section 17 of the Preliminary Economic Assessment outlines the proposed recovery methods for the Thor Property. The flowsheet is designed to process black shale clay bearing feed from the Lea Park formation. Key steps include comminution using mineral sizers and a Vertical Roller Mill, followed by hydrochloric acid leaching in atmospheric tanks. The process aims to produce Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA) and High Purity Alumina (HPA) through a crystallization process involving Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (ACH) precipitation.
The design incorporates significant acid recycling and residue neutralization to manage environmental impacts, specifically Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The plant is estimated to process 16.4 Mt of feed annually, yielding 1.78 Mt of Al2O3 products. Energy consumption is dominated by calcination and HCl recovery systems. The flowsheet relies on proprietary methods for impurity removal and alumina conversion, with a focus on high purity output (99.9% for CGA and 99.99% for HPA).
Processing Profile
- Crushing: Mineral Sizers (Roll Sizer)
- Milling: Vertical Roller Mill (VRM)
- Leaching: Hydrochloric Acid (Atmospheric Tank)
- Crystallization: HCl Sparging (ACH Precipitation)
- Recovery: HCl Recovery System
Website: https://canadianenergymetals.com/thor-project
Report Date: 2025
Region: Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada
Project Status: Development
Commodity: Alumina
Throughput: 16.4 Mt/year
Mine Life:
Mine Type: Not Specified
Ore type:
Thor Project Alumina Recovery: HCl Leaching & Crystallization
Thor Project Alumina Recovery: HCl Leaching & Crystallization
Source: Canadian Energy Metals Corp (2026)
Website: https://canadianenergymetals.com/thor-project
Critical Data
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Throughput | 44,931 | tpd | Dry feed basis, 16.4 Mt/year |
| Mill Power | 108 | MW | Total electrical power demand of process plant |
| Target Grind Size | 1,000 | μm | P80, from vertical roller mill circuit |
| Head Grade | 13.4 | % | Feed Al2O3 grade (dry wt basis) |
| Recovery % | 81.1 | % | Overall process recovery of Al2O3 |
| Processing Capacity | 44,931 | tpd | Corresponds to 16.4 Mt/year feed tonnage |
| Energy Consumption | 164.0 | million GJ/year | Sum of major energy users (CGA+HPA calcination + other + HCl recovery + steam) – 221.7, not per tonne; preliminary |
| Water Consumption | 54.7 | Mt/year | Feed water input (simplified mass balance) |
| Operating Hours | Not specified; availability assumed 90% for average daily production |
Overview
Canadian Energy Metals Corp is advancing the Thor Property, a black shale deposit located near Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada, with a comprehensive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) detailing a robust alumina recovery flowsheet. The candidate flowsheet, developed from bench-scale testing and presented in Section 17 of the technical report, targets the production of custom Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA) at 99.9% purity and High Purity Alumina (HPA) at 99.99% purity from an aluminous black shale feed grading 13.4% Al2O3. The process begins with comminution via roll sizers and a vertical roller mill to achieve a P80 of 1,000 µm, followed by atmospheric hydrochloric acid leaching to solubilize aluminum and other metals. The pregnant leach solution undergoes selective crystallization steps—including a proprietary pre-crystallizer impurity removal system for HPA production—where HCl-rich vapour sparging precipitates aluminum as Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (ACH). Subsequent pyrometallurgical conversion yields the final alumina products. The overall process recovery is estimated at 81.1%, with an annual production capacity of 1.78 million tonnes of Al2O3 equivalent. This flowsheet emphasizes acid and water recycling, with a make-up HCl stream, and includes residue neutralization using quicklime to manage acid-generating potential. The Thor Project represents a significant opportunity for sustainable alumina production in Canada, leveraging innovative hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical technologies.
Key Process Stages
- Stage 1: Comminution (Crushing and Grinding) – Run of mine feed is passed through a grizzly and roll sizer circuit to achieve a P80 of approximately 75 mm. Crushed material is stored in a dome stockpile, reclaimed, and fed to a Vertical Roller Mill (VRM) with an integrated classifier to produce a ground product with a P80 of approximately 1,000 µm. Future testwork will optimize grind size for metal extraction.
- Stage 2: Hydrochloric Acid Leaching – Ground feed is mixed with recycled HCl solution in a series of agitated atmospheric tanks. Aluminum and other metals are solubilized, forming aqueous chlorides. Calcite reacts to produce CaCl2 and CO2. The leach slurry is filtered using horizontal belt filters to separate Pregnant Leach Solution (PLS) from washed leach residue.
- Stage 3: Residue Neutralization – Washed leach residue is repulped with a lime-bearing solution in an agitated tank to neutralize residual acid. The slurry is filtered again, with liquid recycled to a lime slaker (using quicklime, CaO) to generate Ca(OH)2 for the neutralization step. The neutralized filter cake, classified as potentially acid generating, is sent to a residue storage system.
- Stage 4: Crystallization and Impurity Removal – A portion of PLS undergoes proprietary pre-crystallizer impurity removal before high-purity crystallization. Both high-purity and PLS crystallization steps sparge recycled HCl-rich vapour into agitated tanks to increase acidity and selectively precipitate aluminum as Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate (ACH). The exothermic reaction requires heat removal via recirculation pumps and exchangers. ACH crystals are separated by belt filtration.
- Stage 5: Pyrometallurgical Conversion to Alumina – ACH from high-purity crystallization is calcined via proprietary methods to produce High Purity Alumina (HPA, 99.99% Al2O3), while ACH from PLS crystallization is converted to Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA, 99.9% Al2O3). Products are ground, bagged, and stored. HCl is recovered from ACH and chlorinated impurities using proprietary methods.
Additional Interesting Data and Summary
The Thor Project’s alumina recovery flowsheet integrates advanced hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes designed for high efficiency and environmental stewardship. Key technical parameters include a feed tonnage of 16.4 Mt/year (dry) at 13.4% Al2O3, yielding 1.4 Mt/year of CGA and 0.35 Mt/year of HPA, with a byproduct stream of 2.21 Mt/year of other oxides. The simplified mass balance indicates substantial reagent consumption: 0.02 Mt/year HCl makeup, 0.59 Mt/year CaO for neutralization, and 0.47 Mt/year NaOH for scrubbing. Energy demands are dominated by the HCl recovery system (71.3 million GJ/year), steam generation (57.7 million GJ/year), and CGA calcination (43.2 million GJ/year). The process plant’s total electrical load is 108 MW. Environmental considerations are central to the design. Leach residue is classified as potentially acid generating based on acid-base accounting testwork, requiring a dedicated residue treatment and storage system to mitigate acid mine drainage. Blowdown from boilers and cooling towers generates liquid effluent, which is addressed in the report’s environmental sections. The facility will source fresh process water, demineralized water from internal systems, and potable water from Tisdale municipal supply. Natural gas is the primary fuel, with biomass under investigation as a sustainable alternative. Economically, the project aims to produce custom CGA and HPA meeting industry specifications (99.9% and 99.99% Al2O3 purity, respectively) in alpha-alumina crystal form. The high level of acid and water recycling reduces operating costs and environmental impact. Future testwork will refine grind size optimization (currently targeting P80 1,000 μm with assumed kinetics similar to P88 595 μm) and evaluate the metallurgical response of the Lea Park formation, which will be mined according to the mine plan. The Thor Property, located in Saskatchewan, positions Canadian Energy Metals Corp as a potential leader in domestic alumina production, leveraging innovative proprietary technologies for impurity removal, crystallization, and HCl recovery. Ongoing studies will further characterize mineralogy, energy integration, and byproduct valorization to enhance project economics and sustainability.
Key Processes: Crushing
Target Commodities: N/A
