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Lithium is an essential ingredient in lithium-ion batteries for powering electric vehicles, laptops, power tools, phones and other devices we use every day. It’s also used in various applications ranging from industrial greases and high-performance tires to pharmaceuticals and other chemicals. It’s the lightest of all metals, has high energy density and exhibits low thermal expansion, making it well suited for use in everything from batteries in pacemakers to metal alloys used in planes and spacecraft. We have one of the world’s largest lithium portfolios. With demand expected to grow for years to come, we’re committed to delivering the lithium the world needs – responsibly, reliably and at scale. Across our global operations we extract lithium using a range of techniques like direct lithium brine extraction (DLE) and conventional pond-based brine extraction and hard-rock mining. We also produce a range of products including lithium chloride, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, spodumene concentrate, high purity lithium metal, butyllithium and other lithium specialty chemicals. Mining lithium and producing lithium products enables us to provide our customers with a more resilient supply chain and enhanced operating flexibility and efficiency. We also have state-of-the-art research and development facilities, focused on testing and understanding new ways to improve energy storage and lithium delivery. We have a long history of innovation and producing lithium compounds safely and sustainably. We helped create the first lithium batteries and partner with customers leading the way in energy storage and electrification.
Without lithium ion batteries you won’t have rapid mass adoption of electric vehicles or energy storage. And without the lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite anode and manganese supply chains to feed these battery plants, you won’t have lithium ion batteries.”
- Simon Moores, Managing Director, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
As a global leader in lithium mining and production, we innovate and partner with our customers to pioneer new solutions providing high-quality finished lithium compounds and improving the lithium value chain. We support industry-wide initiatives aimed at building a competitive, sustainable and innovative value chain like the European Battery Alliance and the European Raw Materials Alliance. We’re also members of the Global Battery Alliance, a public-private collaboration to help establish a sustainable battery value chain.
We’re strengthening our lithium extraction capabilities through a new partnership with ILiAD Technologies, a market leader in DLE. This partnership supports our commitment to improving efficiency, sustainability and cost-effectiveness across our operations. ILiAD’s technology enables the extraction of high-purity lithium chloride from a wide range of lithium-laden brine resources. This technology complements our existing DLE capabilities at both Fenix and Rincon, helping us unlock greater value from our assets while supporting sustainability goals.
LIOVIX® is a unique printable lithium formation that can improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, reduce manufacturing costs and enable the next generation of battery technology. It offers longer battery life, lower manufacturing costs and enhanced safety.
We’ve invested in European-based battery technology and manufacturing company InoBat Auto to support the development of a battery ecosystem in Europe – spanning research and development, lithium mining, battery manufacturing and recycling. InoBat is developing a battery research and development facility and pilot plant in Slovakia and is actively pursuing plans to build a number of gigafactories, including one in Serbia.”
A vital component for clean technologies such as electric vehicles and battery storage, lithium will play an essential role in the transition to a low carbon economy. Double digit growth in lithium demand is forecast over the next decade.
Rincon is a large, undeveloped, lithium brine project located in the heart of the lithium triangle in the Salta Province of Argentina, an emerging hub for greenfield projects. A long-life, scalable resource capable of producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from raw brine, the project will help us deliver this vital resource to the global energy industry while meeting our commitment to decarbonise our operations by 2050.
We are advancing the 3,000 tonne per year battery-grade lithium carbonate plant starter plant, however the full definition of the project, changes to scope and higher inflation have led to an increase in the capital estimate to $335 million (from $140 million). The learnings and design improvements will be carried over to the full-scale project. First saleable production is now expected at the end of 2024 (previously in the first half of 2024). Studies are continuing on the full-scale plant, which will have benefits of economies of scale, with the capital intensity, based on current stage of studies, forecast to be in line with regional lithium industry benchmarks.
The Jadar project in Serbia is one of the world’s largest greenfield lithium projects. The scale and high-grade nature of the Jadar deposit provides the potential for a mine to supply lithium into the electric vehicle value chain for decades.
The Board committed funding in July 2021, subject to receiving all relevant approvals, permits and licences. We are focused on consultation with all stakeholders to explore all options following the Government of Serbia's cancellation of the Spatial Plan in January 2022.
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