10075189LUSTRE LithiUm SalT REfiningClosedLaunchpadInnovate UKThis consortium between Tees Valley Lithium ('TVL') and Weardale Lithium ('WLL') builds on the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies to cooperate in the production of lithium battery materials in the North East of England. TVL are developers of an independent and sustainable lithium chemical processing hub at the Wilton International chemicals park in Teesside (within in the Net Zero Innovation cluster centred on Tees Valley). They are focussed on processing lithium materials to battery grade for automotive lithium-ion batteries. WLL is developing a potential domestic resource of sustainable "green" lithium from naturally occurring geothermal brines in the North Pennines centred on Eastgate, County Durham. The collaboration between TVL and WLL forms the essential initial steps of the EV battery supply chain by extracting and processing lithium in the North East of England. The project is specifically concerned with novel methods for the production and refinement of lithium salts extracted from the geothermal brine resources that Weardale Lithium has the rights to extract in the context of developing an integrated and robust route from 'borehole to battery', all within the NE region. In addition to receiving feedstock supply from WLL, TVL could source other domestically produced lithium materials for value-added refining and improve the UK's self-sufficiency of supply for this critical mineral. This project advances the prospect of developing supply of a significant proportion of the UK's projected demand for lithium (a critical mineral) yet having a low environmental and carbon footprint enabling it to be described as "green" lithium especially when compared to lithium extracted overseas by hard rock mining or from lithium chloride produced by brine evaporation in large salars. Lithium-ion batteries are a key technology for several of the UK Government's strategies for Net-Zero by 2050, including the transition to electric vehicles and energy storage. This project directly supports the UK Government's Critical Minerals Strategy which amongst other objectives, seeks to accelerate the UK's domestic capabilities by maximising what the UK can produce domestically. Lithium is classified as a Critical Mineral; currently, there is no commercial lithium production or refining in the UK or Europe. Lithium produced and refined in the UK will confer transportation cost advantages, supply assurances and an environmental-premium over foreign suppliers.