Vulcan Energy’s announcement marks a significant milestone for Europe’s battery supply chain security. The commencement of lithium chloride production from a local resource in Europe represents a shift towards greater self-sufficiency in the continent’s lithium chemicals market. Here are the key highlights of this development:
- Local Production for Europe: Vulcan’s Lithium Extraction Optimisation Plant (LEOP) in Landau, Germany, has successfully produced the first Lithium Chloride (LiCl) product from a local source in Europe. This move reduces Europe’s dependence on imported lithium and enhances the region’s battery supply chain resilience.
- Efficient Extraction Process: The LEOP has demonstrated strong early results, achieving consistently high lithium extraction efficiency of over 90% (up to 95%) using Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) technology. This efficiency aligns with Vulcan’s expectations and its commercial plant objectives.
- Investment and Facility Details: Vulcan has invested more than €40 million in LEOP, which serves as an optimization, operational training, and product qualification testing facility. This investment underscores Vulcan’s commitment to operational readiness for its Phase One commercial facility.
- Environmental Sustainability: Vulcan’s integrated renewable energy and ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ business model ensures sustainable lithium production. By utilizing geothermal renewable energy from the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field, Vulcan aims to decarbonize the carbon footprint associated with lithium production for Battery Electric Vehicles (EVs).
- Scaling Production: Once Phase One commercial production begins, Vulcan estimates that its operations will have the capacity to produce enough lithium for approximately 500,000 EVs. This highlights the scalability and potential impact of Vulcan’s sustainable lithium production process.
- Validation of A-DLE Technology: Vulcan has successfully demonstrated the application of Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) technology in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field. This technology, which currently accounts for 10% of global lithium production, showcases its viability in European lithium extraction operations.
Overall, Vulcan Energy’s achievement represents a significant step towards establishing a sustainable and secure battery supply chain in Europe, driven by locally sourced lithium and renewable energy.
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