Lithium Mining Expands to Europe... Vulcan Energy, 'LG Energy Solution Supplier,' Starts Factory Operations

Vulkan Energy Germany Starts Operation of
'Lithium Extraction Optimization Plant' in Upper Rhine Valley

Applies Direct Lithium Extraction Method
Uses Proprietary Filters to Reduce Energy and Water Consumption

A lithium extraction optimization plant of Vulkan Energy located in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Photo by Vulkan Energy Facebook

Lithium is also produced in Europe. Lithium, which has mainly been mined in South America and Australia, is now being produced right in the heart of the largest battery demand market. German company 'Vulcan Energy,' which has agreed to supply lithium hydroxide for electric vehicle batteries to LG Energy Solution, has started operating its lithium extraction optimisation plant (LEOP).

Vulcan Energy announced on the 18th that it has begun operating a pilot facility in the upper Rhine Valley in Germany. After extracting lithium at a demo plant (test factory) for the past two and a half years, the company has built and started running a larger plant equipped with facilities for commercial processes. The company called this an "important milestone" and stated that it plans to produce up to 24,000 tons of lithium hydroxide annually starting in 2025.

Approximately 26.6 million tons of lithium are estimated to be deposited in the upper Rhine Valley, which spans Germany, France, and Switzerland. The underground brine lake (salt lake) located in the upper Rhine Valley contains more than 200 mg of lithium per liter. This concentration is somewhat lower compared to the commercially used lithium brine concentration of 300 to 400 mg per liter.

Lithium extraction optimization plant production facility of Vulcan Energy located in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Photo by Vulcan Energy Facebook

For commercial use, Vulcan Energy is conducting a project that combines 'geothermal power generation' with 'lithium hydroxide production.' They use the 'DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction)' method to extract lithium directly from the brine lake associated with geothermal power generation. This method extracts lithium by adsorbing lithium ions using the chemical properties of lithium. In the extraction process, the company uses an adsorbent called 'VULSORB®,' which adsorbs lithium better than conventional adsorbents while consuming less water. By utilizing waste heat as an energy source, the plant emits less carbon than traditional lithium producers. The lithium chloride produced at LEOP is sent to a refining plant in the Hoechst area of Frankfurt, where it is processed into lithium hydroxide, a raw material for electric vehicle batteries. In the future, Vulcan Energy plans to send samples for additional testing to companies including LG Energy Solution, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Renault, and Umicore.

LG Energy Solution signed a lithium hydroxide supply contract with Vulcan Energy in February last year. This was the first supply contract signed with a European lithium producer. LG Energy Solution will receive 45,000 tons of lithium hydroxide over five years from 2025 to 2029. This amount is enough to manufacture batteries for approximately 1.1 million high-performance electric vehicles capable of driving more than 500 km on a single charge.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.