Top 10 Lithium Tailings Extraction Plant Suppliers in Canada (2025)

Founded in Saskatchewan in 2008, Northern Extract Solutions has grown from a small regional player to a national leader in tailings processing. What sets them apart? Their focus on dry process equipment —a technology that uses minimal water, a game-changer in Canada's water-sensitive northern regions. "We started because we saw mines struggling with tailings ponds freezing in winter, slowing operations to a crawl," says CEO Maria Chen. "Our dry separation systems let them keep processing year-round, even when temperatures hit -30°C."

Northern's flagship lithium tailings plant, the TAIL-X 5000, combines high-speed centrifuges with air classification to separate lithium from silicates and clays. It's designed to handle up to 5,000 kg of tailings per hour, and customers rave about its adaptability. "We installed a TAIL-X at our Manitoba site last year, and it's already recovered enough lithium to offset 15% of our original mining costs," says a sustainability director at a major lithium producer in Quebec. Plus, their air pollution control system equipment ensures dust and emissions stay well below Canada's strict environmental standards—no small feat for dry processing.

With offices in Calgary and Vancouver, Northern Extract isn't just about equipment; they offer end-to-end support, from site assessments to staff training. "Mines don't just need machines—they need partners who understand their unique challenges," Chen adds. "That's why 80% of our clients come back for upgrades or new projects."

Based in Toronto, EcoLith Technologies has made a name for itself by putting the "eco" in lithium recovery. Founded in 2015 by a team of environmental engineers, their mission is simple: "Turn tailings into treasure without trashing the planet." Their specialty? wet process equipment that uses biodegradable reagents instead of harsh chemicals, making it ideal for mines near waterways or Indigenous lands.

Their star product, the AquaLith 3000, is a modular wet extraction system that uses gravity separation and low-impact leaching to pull lithium from tailings. "Traditional wet processes use acids that can seep into groundwater," explains lead engineer James Wilson. "Our reagents are plant-based—they break down in months, not centuries. And because it's modular, mines can start small (processing 1,000 kg/hour) and scale up as they need."

EcoLith's recent project with a lithium mine in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley is a case study in sustainability. The mine, located near a salmon-spawning river, needed a system that wouldn't risk water contamination. "AquaLith let us recover lithium without any harmful runoff," says the mine's environmental manager. "We even won a provincial award for environmental innovation last year." EcoLith also offers water process equipment to treat and reuse the water from their wet systems, cutting down on freshwater use by up to 60%.

What really makes EcoLith stand out, though, is their commitment to community. They partner with local colleges to train Indigenous workers in tailings processing, and 10% of their profits go to environmental restoration projects near mine sites. "We don't just sell equipment—we build trust," Wilson says. "And in this industry, trust is everything."

When it comes to experience, few can match Canadian Resource Recovery (CRR). Founded in 1992 in Edmonton, Alberta, CRR started as a small metals recycling firm and has since evolved into a powerhouse in mining tailings recovery. "We cut our teeth on oil sands tailings, so lithium was a natural next step," says president Lisa Patel. "The principles are similar—separating valuable minerals from waste—but lithium requires a lighter touch, and we've mastered that."

CRR's lithium tailings plants are known for their ruggedness, built to withstand Canada's tough mining conditions. Their TAIL-MAX series uses a combination of hydraulic press machines equipment and high-intensity magnetic separators to compact tailings, remove impurities, and extract lithium. "Our systems can handle even the stickiest, clay-heavy tailings that other machines clog up," Patel notes. "A mine in Nunavut told us their old equipment jammed twice a day; with TAIL-MAX, they've gone six months without a single breakdown."

What's new for 2025? CRR's integration of AI into their control systems. "Our smart sensors monitor tailings composition in real time and adjust the process automatically," Patel explains. "If the lithium concentration drops, the system tweaks the press pressure or separator speed—no human intervention needed. It's cut our clients' operating costs by 15% on average."

CRR also prides itself on after-sales service. With a network of technicians across Canada, they guarantee a 24-hour response time for repairs. "Mines can't afford downtime," Patel says. "We treat every breakdown like an emergency because we know it is."

Based in Vancouver, LithiumCycle Innovations is the new kid on the block, but they're already turning heads. Founded in 2020 by a group of MIT grads, this startup is all about innovation—using cutting-edge materials science to make tailings extraction faster and more efficient. Their secret weapon? nano ceramic ball for ball mill equipment that grinds tailings into finer particles than traditional steel balls, increasing lithium recovery rates by up to 20%.

"Steel balls wear down quickly, leaving metal shavings in the tailings that contaminate the lithium," explains CTO Rajiv Mehta. "Our nano ceramic balls are harder, lighter, and last 10 times longer. They grind tailings into a powder so fine, the lithium particles practically jump out during separation." Combined with their proprietary dry separator, the NanoGrind 2000, LithiumCycle's plants can process 2,000 kg of tailings per hour with recovery rates as high as 92%—numbers that have big miners taking notice.

Earlier this year, LithiumCycle signed a deal with a major lithium producer in Ontario to supply 10 NanoGrind systems. "We were skeptical at first—new tech can be risky," says the producer's operations manager. "But after a three-month trial, we saw our lithium yield jump by 18%. We're already planning to ｒｅｐｌａｃｅ all our old mills with theirs."

Despite being a startup, LithiumCycle isn't cutting corners on support. They offer a "success guarantee": if a client's recovery rate doesn't hit 85% within six months, they refund 50% of the equipment cost. "We're confident in our tech," Mehta says. "And we want our clients to be too."

Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Western Processing Systems (WPS) has built its reputation on customization. "No two tailings piles are the same," says founder Tom Richardson, who started WPS in 2001 after 15 years as a mine foreman. "A mine in Saskatchewan might have sandy tailings; one in Quebec could have heavy clay. You can't solve both with a one-size-fits-all machine." That's why WPS designs every lithium tailings plant from scratch, tailoring it to the specific composition of the client's tailings.

Whether a mine needs dry process equipment for arid regions or wet process equipment for high-moisture tailings, WPS delivers. Their team starts with a full analysis of the tailings—testing for lithium concentration, particle size, and mineral content—then builds a system that maximizes recovery. "We recently designed a hybrid system for a mine in Newfoundland that had both wet and dry tailings piles," Richardson says. "It uses a dry separator for the sandy stuff and a wet leach for the clay—saved them from building two separate plants."

WPS also excels in scalability. Their MicroLith series is perfect for small mines or pilot projects (processing 500–1,000 kg/hour), while their MegaLith line handles 5,000+ kg/hour for large operations. "We grow with our clients," Richardson adds. "A junior miner might start with a MicroLith, then upgrade to a MegaLith as their mine expands. We even buy back old equipment to refurbish and resell—keeping costs low for everyone."

What clients love most, though, is WPS's hands-on approach. "Tom's team was on-site for two weeks during installation, training our staff and tweaking the system until it ran perfectly," says a mine manager in Yukon. "You don't get that kind of service from the big international suppliers."

Edmonton-based NorthStar Lithium Recovery is all about turning challenges into opportunities. Founded in 2012, they specialize in "difficult" tailings—those that other suppliers won't touch, like old, compacted tailings piles or those with high levels of impurities. "Mines have been piling up tailings for decades," says CEO Sarah Johnson. "A lot of that 'waste' has lithium concentrations higher than some new mines. We help them unlock that value."

NorthStar's secret is their patented DeepExtract system, which combines hydraulic cutter equipment to break up compacted tailings with a high-pressure water jet system to dislodge lithium particles. "Old tailings can be as hard as concrete," Johnson explains. "Our hydraulic cutters slice through them like butter, and the water jets wash away the dirt without damaging the lithium crystals." The system is slow but steady, processing 1,500 kg/hour, but with recovery rates that often exceed 85%—even in tailings that are 30 years old.

One of their most notable projects was with a closed lithium mine in Ontario. "The mine shut down in the 90s because they thought the tailings were worthless," Johnson says. "We tested a sample and found 0.3% lithium—enough to make reopening profitable. Now they're using our DeepExtract system and selling the recovered lithium to EV battery makers."

NorthStar also offers financing options for mines hesitant to invest in tailings recovery. "We'll cover 30% of the equipment cost upfront, then take a small cut of the lithium revenue until it's paid off," Johnson adds. "It's a win-win: they get started with minimal risk, and we share in their success."

Montreal's GreenMines Equipment Corp. lives up to its name by putting sustainability at the core of everything it does. Founded in 2010, this B Corp-certified company doesn't just sell tailings extraction plants—they sell carbon-neutral ones. "Every system we build is powered by renewable energy, and we offset 100% of the emissions from manufacturing and shipping," says founder Pierre Dubois. "Mines want to be green, but they need equipment that lets them walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

GreenMines' EcoRecovery series uses solar panels and battery storage to run its dry process equipment , making it ideal for off-grid mines. "We installed a solar-powered EcoRecovery plant in northern Quebec last year," Dubois says. "It runs entirely on sunlight, even in winter, thanks to high-efficiency panels and a backup wind turbine. The mine's carbon footprint dropped by 25% just from that one project."

But GreenMines doesn't stop at energy. Their systems also include water process equipment that recycles 95% of the water used in processing, and their air pollution control system equipment captures dust and filters emissions to near-zero levels. "We had an audit last year, and the auditors couldn't believe how clean our plant was," says a sustainability officer at a lithium mine in Nova Scotia. "Our community used to complain about dust; now they barely notice we're there."

GreenMines also gives back: 5% of its profits go to Indigenous-led environmental initiatives. "Mining is about partnership with the land and the people who steward it," Dubois says. "We're proud to support communities that help make our work possible."

Halifax-based Atlantic Lithium Solutions (ALS) may be based on the East Coast, but their reach is national. Founded in 2018, they've quickly made a name for themselves with their focus on cost-effectiveness—helping small and mid-sized mines get into tailings recovery without breaking the bank. "Big mines can afford million-dollar systems, but smaller operations need options too," says founder Mike O'Connor, a former mining equipment salesman. "We design plants that deliver results at a price that works for their budget."

ALS's entry-level model, the LiteExtract 1000, starts at $250,000—about half the cost of comparable systems—and processes 1,000 kg of tailings per hour. It uses a simplified dry separation process that's easy to operate and maintain, making it perfect for mines with small staffs. "We don't skimp on quality, but we cut out the frills," O'Connor explains. "No fancy AI controls, just reliable, straightforward machinery that gets the job done."

For mines ready to scale, ALS offers the ProExtract 3000 ($500,000), which adds hydraulic briquetter equipment to compact leftover tailings into bricks for safe disposal or reuse as construction material. "One of our clients in New Brunswick uses the briquettes to build access roads," O'Connor says. "It turns a disposal cost into a resource—genius, right?"

ALS also offers flexible payment plans, including leases and rent-to-own options. "We want to make tailings recovery accessible to everyone," O'Connor adds. "Because the more lithium we recover from tailings, the less we need to mine new ore. That's good for the planet and good for business."

Saskatoon's Prairies Lithium Tech (PLT) is a family-owned business with a big vision: to make Saskatchewan a global hub for lithium tailings recovery. Founded in 2005 by brothers David and Robert Kim, PLT started by selling parts to local mines. Today, they design full-scale extraction plants, with a focus on cold-weather performance—critical in a province where winter lasts six months.

Their ArcticPro series is built to operate in temperatures as low as -40°C, with insulated tanks, heated pumps, and snow-resistant solar panels for power. "Mines in Saskatchewan lose months of production every year because equipment freezes," David Kim says. "Our ArcticPro plants have double-walled pipes and self-heating sensors that keep everything running, even when the wind chill is -50. One client in Flin Flon told us they processed more tailings in January than they did in June last year—that's a game-changer."

PLT also specializes in integrating with existing mining infrastructure, saving clients from building new facilities. "We can hook our extraction system directly into their existing tailings conveyor belt, so they don't need to build a whole new processing area," Robert Kim adds. "That cuts installation time by 40% and costs by 30%."

What really makes PLT stand out, though, is their commitment to their community. They hire 80% of their staff from local Indigenous communities and offer apprenticeships to young miners. "We grew up here; these are our neighbors," David says. "Success isn't just about profits—it's about lifting up the people who support us."

Rounding out our list is Vancouver's Pacific Rim Recovery Systems (PRRS), a supplier with a global mindset but local roots. Founded in 2010, PRRS has exported its lithium tailings plants to 12 countries, but they're most proud of their work in Canada. "We design for the world, but we test in Canada," says CEO Elena Rodriguez. "If a system can handle the Rockies' altitude, the Maritimes' humidity, and the North's cold, it can handle anything."

PRRS's GlobalExtract 4000 is their most popular model, a hybrid system that uses dry process equipment for coarse tailings and wet process equipment for fine particles, delivering a recovery rate of 88–92%. It's also smart—equipped with IoT sensors that send real-time data to a cloud dashboard, so mine managers can monitor performance from anywhere. "A client in Australia was having issues with their system, and our tech team diagnosed the problem remotely—turned out a sensor was misaligned," Rodriguez says. "We walked their staff through fixing it over video call. No downtime, no expensive service visit."

PRRS also leads the way in research, partnering with the University of British Columbia to develop next-gen extraction technologies. "We're working on a laser-based separator that could boost recovery rates to 95%," Rodriguez says. "It's still in testing, but we hope to launch it next year. Innovation is in our DNA."

With clients across Canada and beyond, PRRS is proof that Canadian expertise in lithium tailings recovery is world-class. "We're not just selling equipment—we're exporting Canadian ingenuity," Rodriguez adds. "And that makes me proud."