First French Lithium Mine Discovered

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--French minerals company Imerys (Paris) is aiming to become one of Europe's largest producers of lithium with the discovery of a large deposit at its Beauvoir site in the Allier region of France.

The company said the discovery was made at a site that has been producing kaolin for ceramics since the late 19th century. The new mining project, called Emili, aims to produce 34,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year from 2028, making the company a leading supplier to the European battery market and a key player in the global lithium industry. Industrial Info is tracking three projects at the site with an investment value of US$850 million. It will be the country's first lithium mine.

"I am very excited by the potential of our lithium project and very proud of the work done by the teams over the last 18 months to develop it," said Alessandro Dazza, chief executive officer of Imerys. "Upon successful completion, the Emili project would provide a sustainable, competitive, domestic source of lithium supply for French and European carmakers and would make a major contribution to meeting the challenges of the energy transition. Throughout the process, Imerys will engage with all stakeholders, from local communities to policymakers, in a spirit of openness and transparency. This project can be a real game changer for Imerys."

It was welcomed by France's Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Bruno Le Maire, who added: "I congratulate Imerys on launching the first low-carbon lithium operation in France. This project, which is exemplary from an environmental and climate perspective, will significantly reduce our need to import lithium and enable us to produce nearly 700,000 electric vehicle batteries per year. It will contribute to the objective set by the President of the Republic to produce 2 million electric vehicles in France by 2030 and will be supported by the Government."

The lithium discovery comes at a time when Europe is struggling to secure enough lithium for its current and future needs, particularly for its fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) sector. In late 2020, the European Commision added lithium to its Critical Raw Materials list for the first time as the region set out to be a global leader in the shift to electric vehicles (EVs). The list is made up of 30 critical raw materials, and lithium, which is essential for Europe's goal to become a world leader in EV rollout and EV battery production. The Commission noted that for EV batteries and energy storage, the EU would need up to 18 times more lithium and five times more cobalt in 2030, and almost 60 times more lithium and 15 times more cobalt in 2050, compared to the current supply to the whole EU economy. For additional information, see September 30, 2020, article--Europe Adds Lithium to Critical Raw Materials List for EV Push.

Imerys recently announced that the company has detected lithium in the British region of Cornwall. Following an survey of its kaolin mining site in Cornwall, the company revealed that initial results show the presence of a "significant amount" of lithium but less than the Beauvoir discovery.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).