Brits want to extract lithium from geothermal brine in Cornwall starting in 2029
The British company Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) reports progress on its project preparations for lithium extraction in Cornwall: With funding commitments from the British government, commercial production at the planned lithium extraction facility is set to begin in 2029.
Image: GEL
Similar to the German company Vulcan Energy, Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) in the UK also aims to combine deep geothermal energy with lithium extraction. Commercial production under GEL’s Cornwall project is set to begin in three years, with the facility expected to produce around 1,500 tons of lithium carbonate per year from geothermal brine according to current plans.
GEL itself states that it intends to invest around 43 million pounds—equivalent to over 50 million euros—in the lithium extraction facility in Cornwall. This requires securing nearly 10 million pounds (around 11.7 million euros) from the government’s so-called “DRIVE35 Automotive Transformation Fund.” The government has now given its approval on a “principled basis,” according to reports.
Another key factor is that, according to the company’s officials, a recent independent analysis showed that the lithium carbonate obtained from geothermal brine by GEL not only meets but exceeds the 99.3 percent purity requirement. This level is essential to achieve lithium of battery quality.
For context: GEL first unveiled its plans to extract lithium in Cornwall in 2023, aiming at producing enough lithium to supply approximately 250,000 electric vehicle batteries per year. That target has since been reduced to 180,000. The project began several years ago with initial deep drilling at the Redruth site in Cornwall, England, where GEL found “one of the highest concentrations of geothermal lithium in Europe,” at 340 ppm, according to earlier statements.
The British government is promoting the development of its own lithium value chain not only in Cornwall but also in the Teesside metropolitan area. There, under the leadership of Tees Valley Lithium, a lithium refinery is being built to process lithium precursors into lithium suitable for use in batteries. The investment amount is expected to be 185 million pounds (around 216 million euros), with the government also planning to provide a subsidy of 18.3 million pounds (or 21.3 million euros) in this case as well.
British Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds commented, “Cornwall has a proud mining history, and companies like Geothermal Engineering help write the next chapter by unlocking the industrial potential of the South West. The UK is not just a country of innovation and ideas. It is a country that produces, and we are building a modern economy rooted in industries where we are already strong and that local communities take pride in.”
Dr. Ryan Law, CEO of GEL, added: “Lithium is crucial for the technologies that will enable the automotive industry to transition to zero-emission vehicles. At GEL, we are proud to be at the forefront of building a new British lithium industry and demonstrating how geothermal brine from Cornwall can serve as a reliable and sustainable source for this vital mineral.” The planned facility in Cornwall has the potential, according to Law, to “increase its production to tens of thousands of tons in the future.”