Rain City Resources Inc. has entered into an agreement with ZERO13, a GMEX Group company, to develop blockchain-enabled infrastructure for tracking critical mineral production, strengthening environmental, social, and governance verification, and supporting institutional-grade digital systems.
The collaboration is aimed at addressing growing demands for transparency across lithium and battery supply chains, where producers, manufacturers, governments and investors are increasingly seeking reliable information about the origin and environmental performance of critical minerals.
The partnership will focus on creating a digital framework capable of tracking lithium from its source through final production, covering factors such as product purity, water consumption, energy intensity, carbon performance, reagent use, laboratory verification, batch identification and chain-of-custody records.
Rain City is a Canadian critical minerals company developing proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction technology and related processing systems. Its AC²ME technology platform is designed to support the extraction and processing of lithium and associated by-products from brine and other mineral resources.
ZERO13, part of GMEX Group, specializes in digital climate finance, blockchain technology, tokenization and market infrastructure. Its capabilities include distributed ledger technology, smart contracts, carbon-linked digital markets, real-world asset tokenization and institutional digital infrastructure.
Digital verification targets lithium supply chain
The companies expect the proposed framework to provide verifiable and auditable production information for participants across the lithium value chain. Such data could become increasingly important as battery materials face tighter regulatory scrutiny and growing strategic importance.
Potential users of transparent production records include battery manufacturers, automotive original equipment manufacturers, mineral offtakers, regulators, institutional investors and governments. Access to standardized information could help these groups assess the origin, quality and environmental characteristics of lithium supplies.
Rain City said its strategy extends beyond mineral extraction and seeks to establish a regional ecosystem connecting scientific research, technology, sustainability, capital and institutional participation.
The proposed model could bring together governments, public organizations, universities, research institutions, technology providers, local communities, investors, offtakers and industrial partners. The company expects greater coordination among these groups to support a more transparent and integrated lithium industry.
Rain City CEO Benjamin Hill described the agreement as an important stage in the company’s development and indicated that lithium production was entering a period in which responsible extraction and verifiable supply-chain information would become increasingly important. He said cooperation with ZERO13 and GMEX Group was intended to establish the digital infrastructure needed to support transparency from the earliest stages of production.
Lithium Triangle positioned for technology-driven development
Sebastián Quiñones, head of Rain City Resources Latin America, said the collaboration connects the company’s lithium extraction activities with emerging digital verification infrastructure. He indicated that the Lithium Triangle could evolve beyond its traditional role as a source of raw materials by incorporating scientific validation, responsible production, digital traceability, institutional cooperation and sustainable finance.
The company has been working to establish relationships among universities, research centers, public entities, technology providers and capital markets as part of its broader effort to strengthen the regional lithium ecosystem.
For downstream manufacturers, investors and regulators, blockchain-based traceability could provide a more consistent way to verify production data and assess the environmental and supply-chain characteristics of critical mineral products.
Rain City extends Ion Source exclusivity
Separately, Rain City said it had mutually agreed with Ion Source LLC to extend its exclusivity period by another 90 days under a term sheet signed on April 16, 2026.
The companies have been working together on the development of Rain City’s AC²ME Direct Lithium Extraction technology and other potential commercial applications involving Ion Source’s technology.
Rain City said the extended exclusivity period would allow the two companies to continue their collaborative work as they evaluate technology development and commercial opportunities.
The two developments reinforce Rain City’s broader strategy of combining lithium extraction technology with digital verification and external technology partnerships as it works toward a more transparent and commercially integrated critical minerals ecosystem.