Lithium Extraction from European Resources
Global demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to increase fourteenfold by 2030. Lithium is a key metal for battery production and is considered a critical raw material due to its importance and scarcity. The EU expects lithium demand to increase almost 60-fold by 2050. Europe is currently heavily dependent on imports, but has its own resources, mainly in pegmatite ores and geothermal deposits. In addition, around 500 GWh of battery waste could be recycled by 2030. The aim of the Horizon 2020 project LICORNE is to establish a complete European supply chain for lithium – from raw material extraction to refining.
How is it researched?
As part of the LiCORNE project, 14 different innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective technologies for producing battery-grade lithium chemicals from European rocks and brines are being researched, developed, and scaled up to TRL5. One of these technologies is the extraction of lithium from deep geothermal waters using ion exchange (see figure). As part of this technology, desorption experiments were carried out with different desorption solutions to research and further develop the Li+ recovery process. Initial results show that the implementation of a Li+ recovery process based on adsorption technology using specific desorbents enables sustainable Li+ recovery and can contribute to the establishment of a domestic lithium supply chain in the future.
Extraction of lithium from deep geothermal waters using ion exchange: A: Absorption process, B: Desorption process (Graphic: KIT, Jeschull)
What is the benefit for society?
The LiCORNE project aims to extract, process, and refine European lithium in a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly manner close to gigafactories. This will reduce transport costs and emissions and secure supply. The technologies developed enable the production of battery-grade lithium from European resources. The partners aim to become global leaders in the processing of low-grade deposits and to license their knowledge internationally – with positive effects for Europe and beyond.