Producing Lithium from UK Granites; A unique process for producing battery grade lithium from micaceous granite in UK
Lead Participant:
IMERYS BRITISH LITHIUM LIMITED
Abstract
Our goal is to establish in UK the world's first quarry and refinery producing battery grade lithium chemicals from unconventional lithium-mica granites, using our sustainable, novel technology.
BLL was the first company to drill granites for lithium in UK and discovered a substantial lithium-mica-granite deposit in Cornwall, and first to begin research and development. We have developed proprietary technology for separating mica from the granite and extracting lithium from that mica. This Project is designed to prove the technical and economic feasibility of commercialising our technology to the level required to de-risk the project and attract commercial funding.
Over the past two years we have drilled out millions of tonnes of lithium mica granite, completed hundreds of metallurgical tests and thousands of assays demonstrating the potential of our extraction technology to produce a high-grade mica concentrate and to extract battery grade lithium from that mica.
Lithium has never been produced commercially from granite, so there is no state-of-the-art process. Earlier, largely academic work proposed froth flotation and sulphuric acid leaching which would produce millions of tonnes of contaminated residues. BLL's novel beneficiation and refining process doesn't require toxic chemicals for beneficiation or leaching, potentially offering the lowest environmental footprint of any world lithium producer.
European governments have mandated the switch from hydrocarbons to electric mobility. Lithium-ion batteries are essential for this transition, yet no battery grade lithium is produced in Europe. China dominates technology for production of lithium, cells and batteries.
In 2018 Britain produced 1.5m cars, employing 823,000 people producing revenue of £82 billion (_Society of Motor Manufacturers_ 2019). With the sale of internal combustion vehicles prohibited in UK from 2035, this industry will be lost if not transitioned to Electric Vehicles (EVs). Illustratively, the first EV designed in UK (Jaguar's I-Pace) is made in Austria, with its Polish batteries accounting for 40% of its cost. Even the iconic British Mini Electric uses drive trains and batteries made in China.
Carmakers co-locate with battery makers -- witness the world's largest EV maker Tesla building lithium-ion cells, batteries and cars under one roof. Without _Gigafactories_ (large lithium-ion battery plants) the UK could lose its car industry. Recent coronavirus shutdowns further highlight the risks of long supply chains.
We offer potential UK battery and EV makers a competitive advantage over Europe with UK's only delineated lithium Resource and the potential to be the first high quality lithium chemical producer in Europe.
BLL was the first company to drill granites for lithium in UK and discovered a substantial lithium-mica-granite deposit in Cornwall, and first to begin research and development. We have developed proprietary technology for separating mica from the granite and extracting lithium from that mica. This Project is designed to prove the technical and economic feasibility of commercialising our technology to the level required to de-risk the project and attract commercial funding.
Over the past two years we have drilled out millions of tonnes of lithium mica granite, completed hundreds of metallurgical tests and thousands of assays demonstrating the potential of our extraction technology to produce a high-grade mica concentrate and to extract battery grade lithium from that mica.
Lithium has never been produced commercially from granite, so there is no state-of-the-art process. Earlier, largely academic work proposed froth flotation and sulphuric acid leaching which would produce millions of tonnes of contaminated residues. BLL's novel beneficiation and refining process doesn't require toxic chemicals for beneficiation or leaching, potentially offering the lowest environmental footprint of any world lithium producer.
European governments have mandated the switch from hydrocarbons to electric mobility. Lithium-ion batteries are essential for this transition, yet no battery grade lithium is produced in Europe. China dominates technology for production of lithium, cells and batteries.
In 2018 Britain produced 1.5m cars, employing 823,000 people producing revenue of £82 billion (_Society of Motor Manufacturers_ 2019). With the sale of internal combustion vehicles prohibited in UK from 2035, this industry will be lost if not transitioned to Electric Vehicles (EVs). Illustratively, the first EV designed in UK (Jaguar's I-Pace) is made in Austria, with its Polish batteries accounting for 40% of its cost. Even the iconic British Mini Electric uses drive trains and batteries made in China.
Carmakers co-locate with battery makers -- witness the world's largest EV maker Tesla building lithium-ion cells, batteries and cars under one roof. Without _Gigafactories_ (large lithium-ion battery plants) the UK could lose its car industry. Recent coronavirus shutdowns further highlight the risks of long supply chains.
We offer potential UK battery and EV makers a competitive advantage over Europe with UK's only delineated lithium Resource and the potential to be the first high quality lithium chemical producer in Europe.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| IMERYS BRITISH LITHIUM LIMITED | £499,775 | £ 349,842 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Andrew Smith (Project Manager) |