Plan for ‘Europe’s first’ large-scale lithium refinery in the UK backed by £631k grant

The mineral processing firm Green Lithium has secured funding for the new lithium refining hub

Plans for a new lithium refinery in the UK that is claimed to be Europe’s first large-scale facility have secured a £631,000 grant from the nonprofit organisation Advanced Propulsion Centre.

The new lithium refining hub, proposed by the mineral processing firm Green Lithium, is expected to act as a getaway to the UK and European electric vehicle (EV) markets and break the Chinese battery-metal supply monopoly.

Currently, there is no commercial lithium large-scale refining facility and Europe relies on China.

Recent reports estimate that the UK and European EV industries will require 1.4 million tonnes of refined battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate every year by the end of the decade.

That translates to a need for more than 400% growth in supply for the next ten years.

Richard Taylor, founding director at Green Lithium, said: “The electric revolution is fundamental to reducing the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

“However, in order to accelerate the adoption of EVs and meet net zero targets, we need to increase and diversify the supply of low carbon, battery-grade lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate.”

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