Cornwall-based mineral exploration and development company Cornish Lithium has completed the construction of a low-carbon lithium extraction test site to improve the UK’s domestic EV supply chain.

Mining.com reports that the firm’s geothermal water test site at United Downs has been designed to trial several direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. Cornish Lithium is working with technology providers Geolith and Precision Periodic to determine which strategies are most suited for low-carbon extraction from Cornish geothermal waters.

Initially, Geolith, which specialises in microfibre materials that act as a filter to capture lithium, will run a demonstration plant for three weeks starting from 9 June.

The results from United Downs will then inform the development of a larger pilot plant, which Cornish Lithium hopes to build by March 2022.

The UK mining operator said it had an opportunity to play a significant role in the establishment of a domestic supply chain for the UK’s EV industry, especially following reports of Nissan’s discussions over building a battery gigafactory in Sunderland.

Lithium is a key component of EV batteries, and the demand for the mineral will continue to grow as the UK reaches to achieve its net-zero goals by phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles.

However, most lithium production takes place in Australia, Chile, and China, and in 2020, the EU added lithium to its list of critical raw materials to reduce reliance on other markets.

Similarly, the UK government recently identified the extraction and supply of minerals such as lithium as a priority and has committed £9.4m to fund the development of ‘innovative automotive technology’.

Cornish Lithium received a share of that funding for the Trelavour Hard Rock Lithium Scoping Study, which is conducting tests on optimising lithium extraction from mica minerals in granite.

The project has now finished its second drilling campaign, the results of which will enable Cornish Lithium to publish its initial resource estimate and define the potential scale of the project this autumn.

 

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