Soon, electric car batteries with French lithium

We are not yet at the stage of lithium extraction in Auvergne at the Beauvoir site, but Imerys has just secured a mining concession for up to 2075 under the Emili project across the departments of Allier and Puy-de-Dôme. The goal is to produce enough lithium annually to equip 700,000 electric vehicles.

Designated as of major national and strategic interest

Backed by Imerys, the Emili project (Exploitation de Mica lithinifère) aims to develop a French production chain for lithium using the deposits in Beauvoir. In addition to extracting lithiated mica, the product will be concentrated on-site before being converted into lithium hydroxide at another facility in Saint-Victor, also in the Allier department. Ultimately, the goal is to be able to supply 34,000 tons of this product annually.

Imerys Beauvoir, a subsidiary of Emili Lithium—a company owned 70% by Imerys and 30% by the Banque des Territoires—will hold the concession known as “Beauvoir” until May 23, 2075. In addition to lithium, this concession covers tin, tantalum, and niobium as well. The area in question spans the territories of the municipalities of Nades, Echassières, and Lalizolle in the Allier department, as well as Servant in the Puy-de-Dôme department.

The project is recognized as of major national interest by France and as strategic by the European Union. It is particularly important for securing lithium supplies for electric vehicle battery production and strengthening European industrial sovereignty.

Permits still required

Currently, lithium used in electric vehicle batteries comes mainly from Chile, China, and Australia. According to the project Emili’s dedicated website, these three countries alone produce 79% of all batteries. The shift toward electromobility aims to gradually reduce dependence on unstable and/or hostile countries for oil supplies.

This is why it is important to avoid falling back into a similar situation regarding the materials needed for manufacturing lithium-ion cells. In addition to requirements for battery recycling at the end of their life, every effort is being made to foster the development of deposits across the EU’s vast territory. Not only would Emili be the first project to open a lithium mine in France, but its deposit would also be the largest in Europe currently under extraction.

The project is expected to create or sustain over 1,500 direct and indirect jobs locally, with its commissioning phase scheduled for 2030. The start of mining operations and the construction of commercial facilities remain “subject to obtaining the necessary additional permits, particularly those related to environmental regulations and mining activities, as well as finalizing the required funding.”