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- © TU Delft
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- © TU Delft
During conventional mineral processing, significant resources are often lost during the beneficiation phase. Lithium-bearing particles trapped in the gangue can proceed to downstream stages, reducing the efficiency of the entire extraction process. To address this, researchers at TU Delft have developed an Opto-Magnetic Sorting System that significantly enhances the separation of lithium ores. This innovative technology combines precision liquid deposition and magnetic separation techniques, offering an advanced alternative to traditional gravity-based separation methods used in beneficiation circuits.
The process starts with lithium-bearing ores being crushed and sieved, isolating particles in the 2–4 mm size range for the next step – optical sorting. A high-resolution line scan camera captures continuous images of particles on a conveyor belt. These images are processed in real-time using a custom algorithm developed at TU Delft, which is trained to identify lithium-rich particles based on subtle colour differences.
Once identified, the target particles are selectively marked using magnetic powder. This enables the marked lithium-rich particles to be separated efficiently by a downstream magnetic conveyor into a dedicated container.
This innovative beneficiation approach has successfully prevented around 45% of the gangue material from entering the downstream process—nearly three times more efficient than the initially targeted improvement of 15%.
According to the State-of-the-Art [SoA], processing spodumene takes place at high-temperatures [1100oC], with direct implications on the economic viability of the entire process. Researchers at TEC have been investigating an alternative to conventional processes. Their investigation features ball milling and calcination at lower temperatures than the conventional process, using additives when needed for the improvement of the next leaching step.
Ball milling is a mechanical process that induces self-sustaining reactions in many sufficiently exothermic powder mixtures. These exothermic reactions, which release a significant amount of heat, can influence both the microscopic and macroscopic properties of the resulting material. On a microscopic level, the heat generated by the reactions can cause changes in the crystal structure and composition of the material. On a macroscopic level, these changes can affect the material’s overall properties, such as its strength, hardness and reactivity. TECNALIA’s findings show that the combination of the ball milling with additives lower calcination temperatures required [200oC below the SoA] in the pre-treatment process of the samples and, also, allow milder conditions in the next processing phases (leaching).
The process, replicated on lithic mica and lithium phosphate materials, were also successful to achieve good results in the next leaching step.
The furnace used in the calcination pre-treatment by TECNALIA
A large group of people arriving on 15 May to Milos island was gathering at Adamantas Conference Centre for the LiCORNE Dissemination Event. A homogenous group of participants, both local authorities and stakeholders from all conrners of Europe, some privileged and attending in person, others online, opened up the floor for discussions around innovative approaches for sustainable extraction of critical raw materials (CRMs) and the role of geothermal fields.
Organised by AdMIRIS on the Milos island, known for its rich geothermal and mineral resources, the event addressed mining sustainability and lithium market dynamics at international, European and national level.
Europe, from its position as an ambassador of the green transition, is expected to see a robust increase in demand for lithium. Although not as well endowed when it comes to lithium as Australia, China and Chile, it is still home to an estimated 5 % of the global reserves. Its insignificant contribution to the global supply highlights the need for strategic reserves and investments in mining and recycling to ensure a stable supply and resilience against market volatility. Presentations at LiCORNE’s Dissemination Event hinted at timely investments in strategic reserves of lithium while prices remain low. This would, ideally, run in parallel with investing in new mines in Europe, incentives for recycling initiatives and continuous development of a performant infrastructure to support the adoption of electric vehicles.
After a brief introduction into the strategic importance of lithium as a critical raw material for green technologies, Dr. Christos Kanellopoulos from the Hellenic Survey of Geology and Mineral Exploration (HSGME), mapped various Li deposits on the map of Greece, along with national exploration projects currently assessing the metal’s presence in various ore deposits – pegmatites, lignite deposits, high salinity closed lakes, geothermal fluids and tertiary basins.
Getting lithium out of European ground is not easy. The metal can be found mostly in hard-rock deposits, which require open pit mines that are usually large, polluting, water-intensive and noisy. Mining projects in Europe are often met with hostile attitudes by the “not-in-my-backyard” and environmental groups. The Greek perception on the mining context in Europe, presented by Mr. Konstantinos Yazitzoglou, Chairman of the Greek Mining Enterprises Association, was both awakening and engaging.
The first take-away set the context, which reminded clearly that all human activities, including mining, create an impact on the environment. Our challenge today is to balance this impact with the benefits it brings. Historically, Western countries have subcontracted mining activities to other parts of the world, often disregarding the environmental and social impacts. Today, this practice is no longer sustainable as those regions are no longer willing to bear the negative consequences.
The BRICS group controls a significant portion of the world’s critical raw materials. With this challenging scenario, Europe has initiated strategic projects and legislative measures to address this issue, but progress has been relatively slow.
The mining industry carries a few ‘negative images’ – including incidents, professional provocateurs and spontaneous reactions from local communities, that should be addressed if Europe aims to resuscitate its mining activities.
To foster a healthy relationship with local communities, finding common grounds on how to disagree and addressing concerns with full transparency remain essential. Emphasising the social dimensions of mining, Mr. Konstantinos Yazitzoglou presented a Greek initiative to create a network of mining township to promote the coexistence of mining and local communities.
During the second part, the LiCORNE Dissemination event spiced up with contradictory presentations. PPC Renewables, operating numerous wind farms, hydroelectric and photovoltaic plants and a hybrid power plant, has recently leased several geothermal concessions in different regions in Greece, including one in Milos-Kimolos-Polyaigos island group. Geophysical surveys and drilling have revealed significant geothermal potential in Milos. Key findings include high conductivity areas in the eastern part of the island, a clear division of the island into two geological sections, and the presence of geothermal fluids in the eastern part of the island.
Despite the richness of the geological formations and the company’s initiatives to engage with the local community, during the event, local authorities made an announcement that no geothermal explorations will take place on the Milos island.
However, the island already has exemplary use cases of mining activities nurtured through social responsibility and engagement with local communities. Imerys is a world leader in mineral-based specialties, providing high-added solutions to various industries, including construction and consumer goods. The company, also a partner in the LiCORNE project, succeeds through performant operations, commercial excellence, market-driven innovation and a strong business model.
In 2018, Imerys launched their SustainAgility programme, structured into three key areas:
Imerys use case reflecting their activities on the Milos island is a sustained effort across several years. Three to four years of corporate involvement in identifying stakeholders, analysing their influence and interests, managing relationships, planning and reporting outcomes through consultation, communication, negotiation, compromise and building relationships that stand the test of time. Imerys presence in Milos, especially during the Covid pandemic, ensured the island’s resilience in times when tourism regular activities were restricted. Imerys long-term operation in Milos relies on balanced development, co-existing with tourism businesses. The company has invested in various initiatives to secure social acceptance and support from the local community.
Various partners in the LiCORNE project presented their innovative research and innovation [R&I] approaches aimed at supporting the sustainable exploration and exploitation of lithium resources. These partners showcased cutting-edge technologies and methodologies designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising resource efficiency, ensuring that lithium extraction aligns with sustainability goals and contributes to the green energy transition.
The LiCORNE project coordinator, Dr. Lourdes Yurramendi opened the technical sessions with an introduction into the scope of work and the objectives, leading after the conversation to the presentations of the specific technologies explored by the LiCORNE partners:
At the LiCORNE EU Project Dissemination event, Nader Akil [Business Operations Manager at PNO] outlined how the EU’s funding is strategically distributed to support R&I initiatives like LiCORNE. The EU’s evolving policy mix, including the Critical Raw Materials Act [CRMA], proposed in March 2023, focuses on ensuring a diverse and secure supply of materials for new industries, setting priorities and benchmarks for 2030. The NetZero Industry Act [NZIA] aims to scale up clean technology manufacturing in the EU to 40 %, with fast-track permitting and strategic projects. The Innovation Fund, closely tied to the NZIA, supports net-zero technologies, including €1 billion for electric vehicle battery cell manufacturing and funding for lithium extraction combined with geothermal installations. The Competitiveness Compass aims to retain Europe’s competitive edge by closing the innovation gap and decarbonising high-impact sectors. With over €22.5 billion in strategic project investments and ambitious 2030 benchmarks, structured innovation ecosystems are essential.
On 12 December 2024, the third edition of the annual workshop of the Cluster Hub “Production of Raw Materials for Batteries from European Resources” took place in Brussels, being co-organised by EU-funded projects RHINOCEROS, CRM-geothermal and CICERO. This third edition, along with an increasing number membership, confirm the hub’s role as a dynamic ecosystem that continues to generate innovations in the European battery materials sector.
The hub’s annual workshop, held as a satellite event of the Raw Materials Week 2024, provided once again a platform for presenting the most promising results from participating projects. Two technical sessions covered the entire battery value chain, from raw materials mining to recycling, while the opening conveniently portrayed the policy, the regulatory and strategic frameworks that support and drive the EU R&I initiatives in the battery sector.
Susana Xara, Project adviser on raw materials at European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), established the discussions tone, navigating through the insights of the Critical Raw Materials Act [CRMA] and the Net Zero Industry Act [NZIA] and focusing on their contribution to securing a sustainable supply of critical raw materials for the European battery industry.
Wouter IJzermans, BEPA Executive Director, presented the long-term vision and potential revisions of their roadmap, emphasising the importance of policy frameworks and incentives in promoting battery innovation and deployment across Europe.
The presentation of Vasileios Rizos from the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) identified various barriers and challenges emerging from the EU policy framework on batteries, based on inputs from 20 companies across the entire battery value chain, including partners from the BATRAW project, member of the Cluster Hub since 2022. The representative of CEPS concluded with a set of policy messages referring to early dialogue channels established between policy-makers and various stakeholders. Before the legal requirements entry into force, this information exchange on availability of secondary data sets could enable stakeholders to assess the data quality, select suitable sets of information and identify potential data gaps.
Publicly available resources submitted by CEPS:
Orchestrating the launch and on-going work of the Cluster Hub, PNO Innovation Belgium [part of PNO Group – leader in innovation and funding consultancy], represented by Dr. Nader Akil, concluded the first session with an overview of all EU funding programmes supporting research, innovation and investment in raw materials production for batteries. Additional to the upcoming funding opportunities and guidance on selecting the appropriate funding opportunities based on the status of technology, Dr. Nader Akil introduced another initiative launched by PNO Group – DIAMONDS4IF. This project supports the preparation of Innovation Fund applications, enabling the transfer of H2020 research results into successful ventures and securing investment funding.
Download Funding Schemes presentation
The session of technical presentations debuted with RAWMINA project, represented by Carmen Estepa, R&D Manager at AGQ Mining & Bioenergy, providing an overview of its final results on the demonstration activities of an integrated innovative pilot system for CRMs recovery from mine wastes. Up-to-date results indicate encouraging extraction rates of ~90 % Fe, ~95 % Co and ~60 % antimony (Sb) yielded by the bioleaching process. Additionally, the alkaline leaching applied after bioleaching extracted more than 90 % tungsten (W), while the following processing step – Fe precipitation, confirmed that Fe and Sb can be removed almost completely from the solution (>90 %). Finally, the processes engaged in the selective CRM recovery yielded promising recovery rates in the range of 99 % for Co, 65 % for W, 77 % for Sb.
Dr. Albert Genter, Deputy General Manager of ES Géothermie, presented the geochemical characterisation of geothermal reservoir rocks in the Upper Rhine Graben – results of their activities conducted within the LiCORNE EU-funded project. After a short incursion into the geological formation of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) area, Dr. Albert Genter highlighted the feasibility of lithium (Li) extraction from the geothermal brines. The high Li concentrations in the geothermal brine at Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen [in the range of 150-200 mg/L], combined with significant water flows exploited by the geothermal power plants, indicate a great potential for Li production in the URG. After establishing the fluid circulation within the fractures of the geological formation, the research team at ES-G will continue investigating the chemical composition of sedimentary rocks, which are also part of the reservoir Soultz-sous-Forêts, and conducting Li and strontium (Sr) isotope analyses to provide more detailed information about the origin of lithium in the brine.
Dr. Nivea Magalhães [Univ. of Exeter, UK] presented the conclusions of the forensic geometallurgy protocol established within the ENICON project. Often, information not directly related to processing leads to limited insights into ore processing behaviour. ENICON investigates the impact of mineral textures and grain size on liberation, sometimes interfering with automated mineralogy results. Additionally, the project presented the findings of the ore characterisation of the Kevitsa mine, containing nickel (Ni)- and cobalt (Co)-bearing minerals.
The CRM-geothermal presentation, delivered by Saskia Bindschedler, Professor at Univ. de Neuchatel, Faculty of science, Institute of biology, Laboratory of microbiology, focused on the use of microbial activity for Li recovery from geothermal brines. Geothermal brines are characterised by high temperatures, increased pressure and salinity, conditions favourable for bioextraction processes using microbes. Key findings confirmed the feasibility of microbial-driven processes for Li recovery, enabling effective filtering of elements using oxalate compounds, followed by precipitation via oxalothropic bacteria, such as Pandoraea sp.. While the researchers will continue working on oxalotrophy and initial pH optimisation, focusing on improving the scalability, they will additionally investigate Li concentration in fluid samples.
Download CRM-geothermal presentation
An insight into the results of the METALLICO project, with focus on their COOL+ technology, was delivered by Sandra Pavon from Fraunhofer IKTS. COOL+ is one of the five technologies investigated within the framework of METALLICO, that involves a leaching step using supercritical CO2, that enables the extraction of Li in a more efficient and environmentally friendly manner. After explaining the five phases of the process and comparing the results at the main conclusions reported high selectivity and efficiency in Li recovery, achieving Li2CO3 which meets battery-grade specifications with a purity of 99.7 %. The solid silicate residue that remains after the CO2 leaching step is not wasted. Instead, it is repurposed to produce geopolymers which are further used in the construction sector, aligning with the principles of circular economy and zero-waste.
Download METALLICO presentation
Research partners from the LiCORNE consortium are working on developing and optimising various technologies to produce battery-grade materials. SINTEF, for instance, have designed, built and tested their advanced electrodialysis apparatus using purified lithium (Li) solutions derived from the upstream treatment processes of Li-ore. Intermediary results show the process will require further optimisation to obtain 99 % purity LiOH and the targeted energy consumption of less than 15 kWh/kg. The research is still ongoing, focusing now on removing the Al ions prior to the electrodialysis process and on investigating new operating parameters.
In another task, working on the optimisation of the conditions for selective chlorination of spodumene concentrate and cathode waste, SINTEF achieved almost 95 % Li yield using CaCl2 -NaCl -KCl melts. Optimisation is underway to replicate the results to the other valuable materials available in the cathode material.
Researchers at TEC have been optimising the organic-based membrane electrolysis process to recover Li from organic solutions as Li2CO3. Results indicate they managed to achieve over 95 % Li yield from off-specification cathode material, while recovering all the organic solvent used in the previous (leaching) step for its reuse. Good yield rates have also been obtained for the treatment of solutions produced in the liquid/liquid [L/L] extraction of brines and spodumene. However, the selectivity of the membrane is insufficient to overcome the migration of the high concentration of other competing cations such as Na, K, Mg and Ca. Researchers are currently producing and testing new PIMs (Polymer Inclusion Membranes) to try to improve the results.
The research group at VITO have been refining their gas-diffusion electrocrystallisation process for Li recovery from brines, achieving over 95 % removal of Li from most of the samples. By manipulating and adding salts to the brine sample, results show that more than 99 % Li is extracted. The energy efficiency of the GDEx process can be improved with the optimisation of the GDEx reactor.
With all technological processes reporting progress and reaching the targets established at proposal stage, future months will rely on the results of the LCA and LCC analysis, which will establish the most promising processes that will enter the upscaling phase.
© visual:Adobe Stock Photos
Partners working on various extraction processes of lithium (Li) from a variety of feedstocks – concentrates, waste cathode material, ore and tailings, are reaching target recovery rates.
NTUA researchers have developed an alkaline leaching process to extract Li from spodumene concentrates, which yielded extraction rates of over 92 % and low impurities. The same process, this time applied on lithic mica, resulted in Li extraction rates of nearly 100 % at a longer leaching duration. Moreover, the optimal settings showed the capacity to maintain the level of impurities low. Leaching experiments on mica samples will continue, but results are already encouraging. This new leaching process requires temperatures considerably lower than the conventional extraction process, currently at 1100°C.
Alkaline leaching scheme to extract lithium NTUA
On their side, researchers at TEC have been optimising the solvometallurgical process to extract valuable elements from four type of materials: spodumene concentrates, lithic mica, lithium phosphate and off specification cathode material. After achieving their target of more than 95 % Li extraction from spodumene, the optimisation phase tested (taking advantage of the result from the novel pre-treatment established and previously described) milder leaching conditions, obtaining similar good results. For lithic mica and lithium phosphates, best operations routes investigated have shown that pre-treatment increases considerably the leaching yield at values higher than the target. For the off-specification cathode material, researchers have concluded that mechanical activation of the cake obtained after leaching improves Li extraction, achieving up to 99 % Li recovery and very high selectivity at room temperature processing. Ni, Co and Mn can be separated as a valuable mixture in the same process.
Finally, the research team at KIT, in charge of the reactive milling and aqueous leaching of waste cathode material [NMC], optimised the purification processes using various reducing agents. The intermediary results yielded Li recovery rates ranging between 68,8 % and 91 %, depending on the reducing agent utilised during the purification process. Next steps for KIT research group expand to calculating the lithium carbonate [Li2CO3] purity, determining the recovery rate of Ni, Mn and Co and upscaling the ball-milling.
VITO researchers, working on the Li-sieve adsorption and desorption from aqueous leachates, shaped the lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) adsorbents into spheres, which enabled dynamic testing. The optimised flow rates and settings initially modelled on synthetic Li solutions have been recently tested on real samples, yielding approx. 85 % Li recovery from aqueous alkaline spodumene leachates. The team at VITO has recently filed a patent application with the desorption stability results.
Expected results have already been shaping up in Spain, where TEC is working on the Li extraction from both continental and geothermal brines. After running tests using the most suitable extractants for their liquid-liquid extraction process [L-L] coupled with stripping operations, researchers have managed to obtain a global Li extraction of 92 % from continental brine, far beyond the initial target of 85 %, while diminishing the content of the accompanying cations (Na, K, Ca and Mg). On the other hand, the same technological process applied to spodumene yields a global recovery rate around >90 % after optimisation of the scenarios based on McCabe-Thiele diagrams.
In another European region, famous for its geothermal resources, EnBW researchers have been investigating Li-extraction from brines. They developed a novel synthesis route for Lithium Manganese Oxide [LMO] adsorbent, for which a patent has been recently filed. The LMO adsorbents have been demonstrating high absorption capacity and selectivity for Li extraction from brines with high salt contents. Offering improved chemical stability and potential for large-scale production of the material, this solution looks very promising for future implementation at industrial level for Li recovery.
Another extraction process, the electrode-based Li adsorption and desorption from brines, has been optimised by KIT. Following the principles of a salt water battery, the electrochemical extractions with Li-selective electrodes yielded encouraging results for the Li-extraction from geothermal brines. The Li selectivity in the recovery solution were in the range of 77 % to 82 %, displaying a good separation from the main contaminants.
© visual: TECNALIA
During the M24 consortium meeting held in Karlsruhe (GER), the project team presented the latest progress achieved in the work package dedicated to the supply and characterisation of the feedstock, with a primary focus on the geochemical analysis of geothermal brines and rocks.
Between M18 and M24, researchers collected and sent for analyses geothermal brine from the reservoir at Soultz-sous-Forêts in France. This latest analysis not only revealed a Li concentration above 170 mg/L, which confirms the stability and the quality of this resource for a potential future lithium extraction in the Upper Rhine Graben geothermal brine.
In addition to brine analysis, the researchers conducted thorough geochemical analyses on core samples from three deep wells in Soultz-sous-Forêts. These wells intersect the Muschelkalk limestone, Buntsandstein sandstone and Visean granite formations. A total of 57 core samples, sourced from depths ranging between 841 to 5060 m were selected for analysis. The focus was on 36 granite samples, where the lithium concentrations varied significantly. According to the analysis of the research team at ES-G, Li concentrations tend to be highly impacted by hydrothermal alteration. They found that Li concentration can vary by two orders of magnitude when compared to the fresh granite mainly due to secondary minerals precipitation. However, solubilisation of Li is identified in most of the case where hydrothermal alteration is important.
Stakeholders interested in the characterisation performed by ES-G have the chance to find more detailed information at the upcoming Stanford Geothermal Workshop, taking place between 10 and 12 February 2025.
Further isotopic analysis of Li and Sr in rock samples will allow researchers to further understand the sources and mobilisation of Li in geothermal brines. These analyses will provide more accurate insights into the geochemical processes involved and support the development of more efficient and sustainable lithium extraction methods.
© visual:Adobe Stock Photos
On 16 October 2024, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was hosting not only the LiCORNE project’s M24 consortium meeting, but also its first exploitation workshop. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, with nearly 15 industry guests and members of the External Advisory Board (EAB), to discuss the latest advancements in lithium (Li) extraction technologies.
The workshop began with a welcome address by Dr. Lourdes Yurramendi [the coordinator of the LiCORNE initiative and Project Director at TECNALIA Waste Valorisation, Energy, Climate and Urban Transition], followed by Nader Akil, Operations Manager at PNO Innovation Belgium, who outlines the objectives of the exploitation workshop and provided an overview of the LiCORNE project. Funded by the European Commission, the project aims to develop competitive technologies for Li extraction and recovery from various feedstocks, including ores, geothermal brines and cathode waste materials. Following this introduction, various partners delivered technical presentations, showcasing their innovative approaches and key exploitable results after 24 months from the start of the project.
Regardless the feedstock considered, all these novel technologies share one theme: sustainability. This focus on sustainability translates into exploring research routes that go beyond the current state-of-the-art (SoA), reducing energy and water consumption and the generation of chemical waste:
Beyond technological presentations, the workshop also facilitated discussions with external participants, including members of the EAB and industry representatives. These exchanges provided valuable insights into the industry’s needs and opened up new routes for collaboration. To facilitate future collaborations, PNO presented several funding opportunities that can be used to bring the most promising technologies and the LiCORNE selected flowsheet to a pilot level.
As the project progresses, the focus will shift now towards the benchmarking and selection of the most promising LiCORNE technologies for upscaling to produce ~1 kg of battery-grade Li by the end of the project. This phase aims to shape a path towards larger piloting and future commercialisation.
With no surprise, after Europe’s quest to replace fossil fuels and turn towards clean energy, lithium (Li) has been classified as a key component, making it to the short list of EU’s highly significant critical raw materials. With the transition to zero-emission vehicles, carmakers, as the most consuming industrial sector, will need ever more Li for batteries.
Renowned for its policy background, the EU decisional institutions adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) in record time. This accelerated adoption procedure shows nothing but the need for action, which reflects Europe’s urge to secure a sustainable supply of critical raw materials (CRMs). The CRMA sets specific targets to strengthen the EU’s capacities along the different stages of the value chain, ensuring that by 2030:
Both EnBW and LevertonHELM are key partners in the LiCORNE project. EnBW, as one of the largest energy supply companies in Germany and Europe, has the following tasks in the LiCORNE project: 1) to supply geothermal brine feedstock, respectively to conduct develop Li+ desorption technology aiming at min. 90% yield from geothermal and continental brines. LevertonHELM, on the other side, is a Lithium chemicals producer based in the UK, focusing on the manufacturing of a wide range of inorganic Li chemicals. In the framework of LiCORNE, the British company will benchmark and qualify the Li produced by the processes developed in the project, as battery-grade material.
German, respectively British companies have expanded their collaboration beyond the project’s framework, with a joint objective to advance the sustainable production of battery-grade Li carbonate and Li hydroxide – essential materials for electric mobility and energy storage solutions.
In previous articles, EnBW reported high Li concentrations for the geothermal brines in the Upper Rhine Valley (Bruchsal reservoir), ranging from 163 to 190 mg/L (Sanjuan et al., 2016). However, due to the characteristics of the reservoir, featuring highly mineralised brines, the extraction process was hampered by an elevated additional concentration of foreign ions (TDS 130 g/l). According to Laura Herrmann, Project Manager Research and Development at EnBW, the process requires increased selective adsorption technology in line with the exigences of the battery materials producers.
This industrial collaboration has resulted in a remarkable purity of 99.5% for lithium carbonate, demonstrating great potential for further scale-up to meet the EU’s demand for lithium.
Using direct Li extraction by adsorption (A-DLE), the process coordinated by the industrial partnership led to a remarkable purity of 99.5 % for Li carbonate. This successful initial trial holds promise for future upscale, potentially meeting the EU’s demand for Li.
Register to the Symposium on Direct Lithium Extraction
© visual:EnBW
Author: ÉS-GÉOTHERMIE [ÉS-G]
Among European geothermal sites, the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) has a great potential for a lithium (Li) production from geothermal brines due to its high concentration and the significant water flows exploited by the geothermal power plants in this area.
Despite its great potential, certain gaps in the basic knowledge of the geochemistry of the URG rocks are persisting, as there is scarce conclusive investigation carried out in the past to estimate the Li content as well as the mechanisms of Li recharge in brine. Identifying Li-rich geological units are essential to target areas with higher Li concentrations for exploration and to ensure the sustainability of this resource.
In geothermal systems, hydrothermal fluids circulate through the fractured and porous rock formations, undergoing complex interactions with the surrounding lithology. Various processes, such as leaching, dissolution, and precipitation, can occur and they can significantly influence the concentration of Li in the circulating fluids. Knowing the chemistry of the reservoir rocks could help us understand chemical reactions occurring between the hydrothermal fluids and the rocks and therefore how Li is mobilised and transported into the geothermal brine.
In the LiCORNE project, ESG is conducting detailed geochemical analysis of several core drills including granite, sandstone, and limestone from geothermal wells drilled in Northern Alsace. Researchers finalised the rock sampling task at the beginning of 2024, while the chemical measurements are expected at the end of June, current year.
Sampling of granite rocks in the core shelter. © ES-Géothermie (ESG)
In total, 57 samples were collected and closely studied, which facilitates understanding of the chemical elements behaviour in the rock before and after the hydrothermal circulation/alteration. Comparing the results of this on-going investigation with the few data available in literature and referring to the Li concentration in URG rocks could reveal an unexpected behaviour of Li in the geothermal reservoir rocks.
After careful analysis of the chemical composition, isotopic analysis of the same rock will follow which will show more accurately potential sources of Li in the geothermal brine.
A. Fresh monzogranite sampled at 1774.5 m depth); B. Hydrothermally altered granite showing argillic alteration sampled at 2159.30 m depth. © ES-Géothermie (ESG)
On Thursday, 16 November, during the 2023 edition of the Raw Materials Week, the twelve EU funded projects that constitute the Cluster Hub ‘Materials for batteries’ gathered for their annual event in Brussels.
The Cluster Hub has been initiated last year during the 7th edition of the Raw Materials Week. The main objective of the meeting was to meet and discuss the latest developments in the participating projects as well as the new challenges and opportunities discovered through the projects’ lifetime. Nader Akil, Operations Manager at PNO Innovation, inaugurated this second edition outlining the motivation behind the hub’s establishment. He underlined the positive reception and sustained interest from various stakeholders keen on joining this initiative.
Discover and/or rediscover the first edition of the Cluster Hub workshop
Co-organised by RELiEF, EXCEED, ENICON and RAWMINA, the event was also the opportunity to welcome the four new members of the Cluster (EXCEED, RAWMINA, METALLICO and CRM-geothermal). the workshop gathered nearly 100 organisations driving the production and the recycling of raw materials for battery applications from primary and secondary resources.
Building on the initial objective of creating an environment that could foster knowledge exchange on different approaches for the recycling and recovery for battery applications, the event focused on three major topics that depict the transversality characterising the projects: the raw materials through research and science, the roles and challenges of industry and market for raw materials, and the raw materials under the scope of sustainability, durability and social acceptance. During this annual meeting, an interactive session led by Anish Patil from TechConcepts and representing the RELiEF project had the objective of Mapping the European battery material recycling landscape – more details to be found below, in the section referring to the interactive session.
The first session was moderated by Sonia Matencio from LEITAT, representing the RAWMINA project. This session had the objective of discussing the raw materials through research and science, under the scopes of mining, refining, processing as well as the battery data. Sonia introduced this topic under the scope of RAWMINA, explaining the integrated innovative pilot system for Critical Raw Materials recovery from mine waste in a circular economy context. To this end, Christophe Aucher, from LEITAT as well, highlighted the need on an open battery passport system to better reflect and account for any adaptations that might be required due to the changing regulatory landscape.
Sonia welcomed afterward Brecht Dewulf from KU LEUVEN and representing ENICON, who discussed the sustainable processing of Europe’s low grade sulphidic and lateritic Ni/Co ores and tailings into battery grade metals. The idea behind this was to show all the potential of Ni/Co resources for Europe.
Xochitl Dominguez from VITO concentrated her speech on gas-diffusion electrocrytallisation (GDEx), a crucial topic for the projects LiCORNE and RHINOCEROS she works with. GDEx is an electrochemical process of reactive precipitation of metals in solution with oxidising or reducing agents produced in-situ by the electrochemical reduction of a gas, in a gas-diffusion electrode. This was followed by Katrin Kieling from GFZ Potsdam, working there for the CRM-geothermal project and shortly explained the challenges of extracting critical raw materials from geothermal fluids. To conclude this first session, Sandra Pavón from Fraunhofer IKTS explained the demonstration of battery metals recovery from primary and secondary resources through a sustainable processing methodology in the METALLICO project.
Discover presentations from Session 1
The annual meeting followed its course with an interactive session led by Anish Patil, which scrutinised stakeholders’ perspectives on the Green Deal Industrial Plan, Net Zero Industrial Act, Critical Raw Materials Act and the European Battery Regulation 2023. Mentimeter facilitated this interactive session, engaging the audience to explore how these policies intersect, complement each other, and identify critical measures and incentives for achieving their objectives.
Over 30 persons participated in the live-poll proposed, which results display the priority to be set on funding and state aid regarding ranking the four pillars of the Green Deal Industrial Plan in order of relevance (followed by skills development, conductive regulation, and open and fair trade). Another major topic regarding the stimulation of investment in net Zero technologies, the majority of answers placed the ‘enhanced skills’ as first priority, shortly followed by facilitating the access to the market.
Lastly, the participants were divided regarding the critical measures to implement in the EU to stimulate investment in building domestic capacities for extraction of critical raw materials (CRMs). Although the majority opted for ‘cutting red-tape and accelerated permitting’, approximately half of the answers evoked uncertainty, which emphasised one more time the need to engage with policy makers as external stakeholders in all projects.
This interactive workshop was followed by two sessions, which aimed at discussing the challenges and opportunities of raw materials within the frame of industry and market, as well as the social acceptance, sustainability, and durability.
Alan Gonzalez from PNO Innovation Begium, representing LiCORNE, moderated the industry part, whereas Sam Hoefman from RELiEF moderated the last session on social acceptance, sustainability, and durability. Distinguished panellists took the stage to engage in debates on various topics.
Edvarts Emerson, Production and Testing Engineer at Watt4Ever, presented his work on the benchmark depository of 2nd life use of lithium in batteries, acceptance criteria and guidelines, work developed within the RHINOCEROS project. Benjamin Wilson, representing the RESPECT Project, displayed Aalto University’s work advancing efficient, sustainable, innovative and safe battery recycling processes in the EU. Laura Kainiemi from LUT University, representing the RELiEF Project, Konstantinos Komnitsas from the Technical University of Crete (TUC), on behalf of EXCEED, and Vitor Correia from INTRAW for the CRM-geothermal project, collectively debated the role and impact of social acceptance among affected communities, the importance of triggering new dialogues on responsible mining activities, and the joint involvement of regional, national and European authorities, academia, industry partners, and citizens in shaping these initiatives.
A big thank you to all participants for this co-creative and very constructive and inspiring meeting.