• Lithium-rich brine from underground in the Upper Rhine Valley is pumped to the surface.
• Then, the lithium is extracted from the brine using Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE). This technology has been used commercially since the 1990s.
• More specifically, the hot brine containing lithium is channeled through a type of filter known as a sorbent. The lithium ions remain suspended in this sorbent while the remaining brine flows through.
• The brine’s heat is used to drive the extraction process and to produce renewable heat and electricity. The brine is then returned to the natural reservoir – a closed cycle.

• A-DLE is a method to produce lithium from brine.
• The technology is already used in 10 % of global lithium production – trend rising.
• A-DLE’s advantages are low operating costs, reduced environmental impact, high product quality and a positive track record.

More information on A-DLE 

Lithium extraction from hard rock: Hard rock mining lithium minerals is a very energy-intensive process. The minerals are usually mined at around 1% Li₂O, meaning that 99% of the mined material is waste. The ore is concentrated to around 5-6% Li₂O, before being transported long distances to refineries which are usually in China. This means that around 94-95% of the shipped material is usually waste. The refinery uses a roasting process, which uses large amounts of fossil fuels to produce lithium hydroxide.

Lithium extraction through evaporation ponds: Lithium extraction from brines evaporates large quantities of water in some of the driest places on earth. It also has a significant CO₂ footprint, through large use of chemical reagents.​

More about legacy methods

• VULSORB® is the proprietary sorbent that Vulcan uses to capture the lithium before the brine is returned to the subsurface.
• The aluminate-based sorbent has a higher performance and lower water consumption during lithium extraction compared to commercially available sorbents.
• VULSORB® can be used in Europe as well as in other brines worldwide.
• VULSORB® has been successfully tested with multiple brines, both in Europe and globally, and is available for licensing.

Learn more about VULSORB® 

• The extracted lithium is first purified in a lithium extraction plant. It is then transported in an aqueous lithium chloride solution to a lithium electrolysis plant, where it is processed into the final product lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM).
• LHM is supplied to the automotive industry via cathode and battery cell manufacturers and used for the construction of electric vehicles or for renewable energy storage (solar and wind). At the end of the battery life cycle, the lithium can be recycled.

• No. Lithium extraction is a physical process, which means that only a few reagents are required.
• As the entire process takes place in a closed circuit, no other substances bound in the brine can escape.

• Lithium itself is not harmful to the environment. It is found naturally bound in several regions of Germany. In the process used by Vulcan, the lithium is always bound in an aqueous solution, is contained within a closed circuit, and therefore does not enter the environment.
• Risk only exists if lithium dust occurs. The only process step in which this can occur takes place at the Höchst Chemical Park, where the final product LHM is produced. However, the LHM is transported promptly to the battery manufacturers.

• In the realm of energy storage and the shift to electromobility, lithium-ion batteries have undoubtedly established themselves as a reliable and efficient technology, providing crucial advancements in various applications. Their high energy density, long lifespan, and widespread availability make them a frontrunner in the battery and automotive industry.
• Vulcan is gearing up to become Europe’s leading integrated renewable energy and ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ business, aiming to establish a domestic and green lithium supply in Europe, for Europe to support the battery automotive industry in its EV transition.
• Commercial series production of battery electric vehicles (BEV) using sodium-ion-batteries as alternative to lithium-ion-batteries has begun. Vulcan believes there is a place for sodium batteries in the market. While lithium-ion batteries currently hold certain advantages, such as greater energy efficiency and a more mature technology base, sodium-ion batteries may showcase potential benefits, e.g. in terms of cost and resource availability. In the EV sector, sodium-ion batteries will typically be used for smaller vehicle with shorter driving ranges.
• Embracing technological diversity is key to fostering innovation and sustainability, ensuring that both technologies can coexist and contribute to the EV transition.

• As soon as the well site is set up, the drilling rig is erected and the drill pipe is ready, the drilling begins.
• The standpipe itself is only 30 to 40 metres deep. Smaller pipes, which are inserted into each other, follow, being sealed against each other to protect the groundwater. The wells are then drilled vertically to a depth of around 1,000 metres before they are deflected and lead at an angle into the permeable reservoir.
• During the drilling process, various experts are deployed to ensure that the drilling is carried out safely and to monitor the individual work steps. Once the desired end point of the well has been reached, several tests are carried out. Upon successful completion, the system is prepared for commissioning.

• The drilling site is built completely watertight to protect the surrounding area, especially the groundwater, from contamination.
• The site will be equipped with its own drainage system, which is independent of the public sewerage system. As in all commercial operations, wastewater is collected, analysed at regular intervals, and disposed professionally if necessary.

• A risk to the groundwater from geothermal energy can be ruled out.
• Although layers containing drinking water are drilled through, the drilling fluid seals all water-bearing layers.
• Several pipes are then cemented in place, which are interlocked and sealed with cement to provide multiple protection for the drinking water. The cemented gaps are also monitored for leaks using measuring devices.
• Measuring gauges are installed outside the drilling site in case, contrary to expectations, a change in the groundwater composition is registered.

• By regularly monitoring various parameters in the drilling, defects can be recognised at an early stage.
• In addition, a network of measuring points in the near-surface aquifer can help to ensure that any seepage of brine into near-surface aquifers can be detected at an early stage and suitable countermeasures can be initiated.
• Chemically analysing the brine prior to commissioning also enables a detailed risk assessment to be carried out, allowing the monitoring concept to be adapted accordingly.

• Brine in the Upper Rhine Valley contains dissolved radioactive elements due to the bedrock deep underground. However, measurements in geothermal plants have shown that radioactivity is practically negligible.
• Radioactive levels in brine are so low that a protective distance of a few centimetres from the pipes carrying brine is sufficient to prevent exposure on the plant site.
• The system components are labelled on the floor. Radioactivity can only accumulate in the heat exchangers, for example, if precipitation occurs.
• Over time, it has been possible to reduce the amount of these deposits further and further. The residues are removed during the annual inspection in compliance with all prescribed safety precautions to protect employees and are disposed of in accordance with an authorised disposal route.

• The drilling does not create cavities that could collapse and cause subsidence on the surface.
• Brine is extracted from fissures and pores in the sandstone, where the diameter of the drilling decreases with increasing drilling depth.
• In contrast to mining and oil production, utilising deep geothermal energy does not involve permanent extraction of ground resources because the brine is channelled back into the same reservoir after the heat has been taken out.

• In Germany, fracking is only permitted for research purposes under strict conditions and is not used by Vulcan.
• The brine reservoirs on the Upper Rhine are located in particularly permeable rock layers (shell limestone and coloured sandstone), making fracking, which is mainly used to tap impermeable rock layers, unnecessary.

• Seismicity is associated with any utilisation of the subsurface (e.g. mining, drinking water extraction, hydrocarbon extraction). The aim is to keep seismicity below the perception threshold and avoid even the smallest damage.
• To achieve this, all activities during project development and operation are monitored using highly sensitive vibration measurements and operations are adjusted accordingly.
• Thanks to 3D seismic technology, the subsurface can be investigated more precisely in advance than was the case with previous projects. This improved knowledge makes it possible to reduce seismicity.
• Interesting to know: In the incident in Staufen, where cracks occurred, no deep geothermal energy was used. It was a case of poorly executed drilling measures for geothermal probes at a maximum drilling depth of just 140 metres. (Staufen 2020: Link).

• The controlled construction and operation of a geothermal system will almost certainly prevent major damage.
• If, contrary to expectations, damage should occur, probably only of a minor nature, this will be dealt with by Vulcan in an uncomplicated manner.
• The company has drawn up a detailed liability concept. This provides for a fund made available by Vulcan to settle minor claims via an independent ombudsman. Insurance may come into play in the unlikely event of major or very numerous incidents. Liability insurance usually only covers the current value.
• Vulcan’s concept envisages that a fund provided by Vulcan will handle the smallest claims via an independent ombudsman. Insurance may come into play in the unlikely event of major or very numerous incidents. In the past, the question of current value or replacement value insurance has been an issue. Liability insurance usually only covers current value.
• If, contrary to expectations, all insurance policies fail, for whatever reason, the Mining Damage Compensation Fund steps in, in which all mining companies, including Vulcan, are jointly and severally involved. However, this insurance has never needed to be utilised since it was introduced in the 1970s.

• During a 3D seismic survey, so-called vibro-trucks drive over roads and paths in the exploration area.
• The trucks lower a plate to the ground and cause it to vibrate.
  These vibrations are recorded by earth microphones previously distributed in the region and are roughly comparable to the vibrations of a tram or a heavy lorry.
• Measuring points on sensitive infrastructure (e.g. bridges or pipelines) are excluded from the measurement and the measurement time in a municipality is limited.
• Incidentally, seismology is the technique in which seismic waves are used to obtain information about the subsurface, while seismicity describes the observable earthquake activity in a region.

• The operation of a geothermal power plant can lead to induced seismicity, which is why the mining authorities require seismic monitoring for geothermal projects.
• This involves continuously measuring and analysing ground vibration velocities at various points around the power plant. The aim of the monitoring is to keep vibrations below the perception threshold, but in any case below the damage limit.