Funding will support development of Weardale Lithium’s plan to sustainably produce lithium from geothermal brines in County Durham
Weardale Lithium Limited, (“Weardale Lithium” or the “Company”) an innovative natural resources company based in County Durham, UK is pleased to announce that it has secured a grant of approximately £670,000 from the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s (“APC”) Automotive Transformation Fund Feasibility Studies (ATF FS3) to support development activity around its plan to sustainability produce lithium from geothermal brines in County Durham, UK.
The funding will directly support exploration and development activity resulting in a feasibility study and investment-ready business case for the extraction of lithium from geothermal brines from existing boreholes located at Eastgate, Weardale, County Durham.
The Feasibility Study will advance exploration and development of the existing boreholes and establish the effectiveness of direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) technologies in extracting lithium from the geothermal brines and facilitate the investment decision for the construction and operation of a DLE pilot-plant for test-scale production of lithium.
Extraction of lithium by DLE processes has been assessed by third parties to have higher sustainability credentials (low water consumption and low waste) when compared to processing techniques required for alternative lithium sources. The recovered geothermal heat from the brine offers the potential for heat and/or power generation resulting a process will aim to carbon-neutral to produce so called “green lithium”.
Currently, there is no commercial lithium production of in the UK or Europe. Whilst the construction of several UK Giga-factories is underway, feedstock sources will be wholly reliant on imported lithium materials, notably from China who dominate lithium supply (70% global share) and also its conversion to battery grade products.
Weardale Lithium is developing a potential domestic resource of sustainable “green” lithium to support the rapidly expanding electric vehicle supply chain as well as the wider automotive industry in North East England. Supply of domestic lithium is of strategic importance to the UK in achieving its climate-based objectives. Lithium produced in the UK will confer transportation cost advantages, supply assurances and an environmental-premium over foreign suppliers.
Stewart Dickson, Director at Weardale Lithium, said:
“The second electric revolution is well underway. This is fundamental to reducing the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
However, in order to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and meet net-zero targets, the UK needs to secure supply of lithium for refining and production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate.
Weardale has the objective to become a UK supplier of lithium and addressing a fundamental weakness in our automotive supply chain. It is of regional and national significance with beneficial outcomes for all stakeholders.
The award of grant funding through a competitive process is validation of Weardale Lithium’s project and will significantly accelerate progress towards potential lithium production in the North East of England. Positive results of the Feasibility Study will enable and accelerate investment decisions to be made both for the DLE pilot plant and ultimately the full production plant; bringing forward investment by some two years.”
Ian Constance, Chief Executive of the APC said:
“We’re really interested to see the outcomes of Weardale Lithium’s feasibility study.
To fully decarbonise the automotive sector we have to transition the EV supply chain at scale and pace and this study will explore opportunities for the UK to rapidly grow manufacturing in some of the most globally advanced and in-demand vehicle technologies, which in turn will lead to highly-skilled jobs and green growth.”