The Australian company Vulcan Energy Resources Limited supplies the entire European market with battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The chemical product is soon to be extracted and produced in the Upper Rhine Graben.
There, Vulcan Energy secured five additional exploration licenses just a few days ago to further increase the potential of the planned production of lithium in the Upper Rhine Graben.
It has now been announced that Vulcan Energy has signed a letter of intent for a partnership with the German chemical company Nobian. Both partners intend to develop a joint lithium plant in Germany. The location of the planned plant also seems to have already been determined.
Lithium production will start as scheduled
Vulcan Energy Resources is one of the leading producers of battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The Upper Rhine Valley is considered to be one of the largest lithium deposits within Europe and the Australian company intends to mine and process this treasure in the future.
The first lithium production in the Upper Rhine Graben is expected to take place as early as 2024. The feasibility study of the first project phase is to be completed within this year. The lithium that will be mined on the Rhine in the future will also be processed on site in the necessary facilities.
Various purchase agreements have already been signed with major automobile manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Renault for the end product in battery quality, so that the expected production capacity for the first five to six years is already completely linked to customers.
In the first stage of the project, the production of approximately 15000 tons of lithium hydroxide is planned. From 2025, annual capacity is then to be increased by around 25,000 tons in the second expansion stage.
New licenses to expand production capacities
Just a few days ago, Vulcan Energy announced that it had added five additional exploration licenses to its existing project area. This means that Vulcan Energy’s license areas cover more than 1,000 square kilometers, stretching from Baden-Württemberg through Rhineland-Palatinate to Hesse.
The expansion is intended above all to increase production capacities in the future and enable them to be expanded in a timely manner.
Development of a lithium plant together with Nobian
It has now been announced today that Vulcan Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Frankfurt-based chemical company Nobian to develop a lithium plant in Germany.
This could finally make the Nobian chemical group one of the leading suppliers of lithium products for the battery industry. The Frankfurt-based group is already considered one of the leading European producers of chemicals for various industries.
Nobian’s portfolio includes chemical products for the construction and cleaning industries, as well as chemicals for water treatment and pharmaceutical products.
The location of the plant could also already be determined. Nobian has already secured a site for a carbon-free lithium plant in Frankfurt.
