ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News

Cornish Lithium and Northern Lithium to collaborate for lithium supply in the UK

UK-based mineral exploration companies Cornish Lithium and Northern Lithium will collaborate to accelerate the development of lithium extraction projects and technologies.

Cornish Lithium Plc. (Cornish Lithium) and Northern Lithium Ltd. (Northern Lithium) have announced an agreement to collaborate on accelerating the development of a sustainable, domestic supply of lithium for the UK at scale over the next decade.

Cornish Lithium and Northern Lithium are innovative UK based mineral exploration and development companies, each focused on delivering sources of lithium through the extraction of lithium from geothermal waters and in the case of Cornish Lithium, also from hard rock. Cornish Lithium is concentrating on the South-West of England and Cornwall, whilst Northern Lithium’s initial focus is on the North-East of England and the Northern Pennine Orefield of County Durham.

In March 2022 Cornish Lithium built and commissioned the UK’s first Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) pilot plant and since that time has gained invaluable experience in successfully extracting lithium from Cornish geothermal waters.

Both Cornish Lithium and Northern Lithium agree with the UK Government’s assessment, as stated in the recently published Critical Minerals Strategy, that a secure and sustainable domestic supply of lithium is essential for the transition to renewable energy and net zero. Domestic sources of lithium will also help secure the future of the British automotive industry as it transitions to manufacturing electric vehicles.

Cornish Lithium’s and Northern Lithium’s projects across Cornwall and County Durham are expected to support part of the UK’s forecast annual requirement for 80,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) by 2030 and 135,000 tonnes of LCE by 2040. The collaboration between the two companies aims to accelerate the delivery of a domestic lithium supply and to help meet this demand at scale within the required timeframe.

Cornish Lithium and Northern Lithium believe this collaboration will make a material difference to the development of a vibrant domestic lithium market, delivering benefit to the local areas and regional economies that host sites, and to the UK as a whole. The collaboration will initially focus on information sharing and technical assistance, with both parties looking to develop a long-term working partnership as their respective projects develop further.

Source: Northern Lithium

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