ABOUT WEARDALE LITHIUM
Sustainably resourcing the future
WHO ARE WE?
Weardale Lithium Limited is an innovative natural resources development company seeking to provide a secure and sustainable, domestic supply of lithium from underground geothermal waters in Weardale, County Durham, UK.
We are the first company to successfully produce lithium carbonate from the geothermal groundwaters beneath the North Pennine Ore field using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology. It has a strategic position in the UK critical minerals supply chain.
Weardale Lithium is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Extraction of lithium from brines by DLE has a lower carbon footprint and higher sustainability credentials (low water consumption and low waste) than other lithium sources such as continental brines (salar) and hard rock lithium mining operations.
Supply of domestic lithium is of strategic importance to the UK in achieving its net-zero ambitions and production batteries for electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems. UK-produced lithium will provide national supply resilience and security with a lower environmental impact.
LITHIUM IN WEARDALE
Lithium is a critical mineral for successful transition of the UK to a low carbon economy. It is the primary component in lithium-ore (“Li-on”) batteries used in electric vehicles. The transition to carbon-neutral economies is expected to drive a strong growth in demand for lithium. Lithium is classified as a Critical Mineral by the UK Government and the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre.
More widely, Lithium has been designated as a strategic metal by the European Union, US, Canadian and Australian governments as well as the International Energy Agency and NATO. There is currently no commercial scale lithium production or refining in the UK and Europe despite a significant market opportunity and rising demand.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT WEARDALE
Weardale is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty located in the North Pennines in County Durham. It is known for its incredible landscapes and visited every year by many tourists.
Weardale is one of the two UK locations with geology enabling sufficient geothermal properties to develop unconventional lithium supply from geothermal waters and associated potential geothermal heat and power generation.
The Weardale Granite is classified as a ‘radio-thermal granite’, and is similar to those that occur in Cornwall, which also contain lithium. The success of the Cornish Lithium industry has led to significant investor interest in the UK’s ability to contribute successfully to the global lithium ‘race’