With the aim of becoming the UK's first integrated producer of battery-grade lithium carbonate, Imerys and British Lithium have formed a joint venture. French mining group Imerys has acquired an 80% stake in British Lithium.
Imerys will provide a large lithium deposit as part of the joint venture. The deposit is estimated to contain 161 million tonnes of resources at a lithium oxide grade of 0.54% ("Inferred resources"), from which a mine life of more than 30 years can be inferred. British Lithium is contributing its lithium processing expertise, technical team, and lithium pilot plant. The drill program and pre-feasibility study (PFS) are underway.
Planned Capacities
The planned development will include a quarry, processing plant and conversion plant on the Imerys site to produce high purity lithium. Under the plans presented, Cornwall would become the leading lithium center in the United Kingdom, with a targeted annual production of 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent. This volume would be enough to equip about 500,000 electric vehicles per year by 2030 and supply about two-thirds of the UK's estimated battery demand by 2030.
The project will reduce the UK's dependence on critical raw material imports, contributing to European and UK climate change targets and creating the first fully integrated regional value chain for electric vehicles. By combining this project with the EMILI project in France, Imerys could become the largest integrated lithium producer in Europe, covering more than 20% of announced European lithium production by 2030.
"This acquisition is a milestone in Imerys' journey to become a key partner in the energy transition. Building on our recent investment in the EMILI project in France, we are uniquely positioned to become a leading supplier of lithium in the UK and Europe. We look forward to unlocking the combined potential of British Lithium and Imerys to make Cornwall a successful lithium hub, building on its centuries-old mining heritage," said Alessandro Dazza, Chief Executive Officer of Imerys.
British Lithium and Imerys
Since 2017, British Lithium has been drilling and exploring on Imerys territory in Cornwall and has also developed a pilot plant to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. The company has received funding from Innovate UK, the UK's national innovation agency, and the Automotive Transformation Fund, a funding program to support the electrification of vehicles and their supply chains in the UK.
In the UK, Imerys employs around 1,100 people, 830 of whom work in Cornwall. This includes five open pits in Cornwall and Devon. The planned mine is expected to meet the highest social and environmental standards and comply with the IRMA standard for responsible mining.
