Large quantities of lithium titanate could be making their way to Middlesbrough as talks have begun to build Britain’s first refinery for the metal, a key component in electric vehicle batteries.
At present, the UK and most of the world is reliant on China to refine the material, with the country potentially gaining an economic and political advantage through control of the majority of the world’s lithium mining and refining, having taken large stakes or even full ownership of many lithium mining companies.
However, after gaining the Backing of the world’s largest private metals trader Trigafura, British start-up Green Lithium has begin talks to establish a location for its proposed plant. The Daily Telegraph has said it can reveal Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has urged them to choose the Teesside Freeport in Middlesbrough.
Green Lithium may not be the only firm establishing a refining plant at the freeport, with Tees Valley Lithium already announcing plans to do so. The Freeport status means the material can be imported and exported without incurring duties.
Chief executive at Green Lithium Sean Sargent said: “Green Lithium’s refinery will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and sustainable energy storage through the increased supply of low-carbon, battery-grade lithium chemicals.”
The firm has stated that Chinese lithium refineries produce high levels of carbon, something it believes it can avoid.
In addition, the current production method for lithium is far from being impeccably eco-friendly. The metal is mined in locations from Australia to South America and then shipped thousands of miles to China, meaning high levels of emission are generated in transportation.
The UK situation may be very different, with significant amounts of lithium found in Cornwall and companies like Cornish Lithium planning to extract it, while the output of refineries on the banks of the Tees may make short journeys to battery factories in Blyth and other locations in the north-east.
This may help Britain become a world leader in lithium battery production and help prevent China becoming globally dominant.