Commercial Production of VULSORB® Begins in Germany
Vulcan Energy has commenced commercial-scale production of its proprietary VULSORB® lithium extraction adsorbent in Germany, marking an important milestone in the delivery of Phase One Lionheart.
Key highlights
First commercial scale production of Vulcan’s proprietary lithium extraction adsorbent, VULSORB®, has commenced in Germany
This marks the commencement of production for first fill volumes for the A-DLE lithium extraction columns ahead of Lionheart commissioning in H2 2028
VULSORB®is the material used to selectively capture lithium from brine, and has been extensively validated through years of testing, including thousands of cycles at industrial demonstration scale
VULSORB® is one of the only commercially bankable Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) technologies with western intellectual property and a fully ex-China supply chain
A-DLE technologies have been deployed commercially for decades across the world, with China, the incumbent leader in A-DLE, now enforcing export restrictions on the technology
VULSORB® will be deployed across Vulcan’s Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF), including its Project Lionheart, Project Ludwig and other growth projects, and also through select technology licencing arrangements with third-parties
Vulcan Energy has commenced commercial-scale production of VULSORB®, the Company's proprietary lithium extraction adsorbent technology used to selectively capture lithium from geothermal brine.
The milestone follows several years of technology development, testing and validation, progressing from laboratory-scale research through to industrial demonstration operations. VULSORB® has completed thousands of operating cycles under real-world conditions, achieving lithium recovery rates of up to 95%.
The start of commercial production represents a key step in preparing for operations at Phase One Lionheart, Vulcan's integrated lithium and renewable energy project currently under construction in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley.
VULSORB® forms a central part of Vulcan's adsorption-based direct lithium extraction (A-DLE) process. The technology includes both the proprietary adsorbent formulation and the manufacturing process used to produce it.
According to the Company, VULSORB® is among a limited number of commercially proven adsorption-based lithium extraction technologies supported by western intellectual property and an ex-China manufacturing supply chain. This provides greater supply chain resilience and technology independence at a time when access to critical mineral technologies is becoming increasingly strategic.
Over the past three years, Vulcan has worked with selected European manufacturing partners to scale production and validate the technology. The resulting product has been successfully used to produce high-purity lithium chloride and battery-grade lithium hydroxide through demonstration-scale extraction and processing facilities.
The current production campaign will provide the first fill volumes required for Lionheart's lithium extraction columns ahead of project commissioning planned for the second half of 2028.
Located in the Upper Rhine Valley between Germany and France, Phase One Lionheart is designed to produce 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide monohydrate annually, sufficient for approximately 500,000 electric vehicle batteries per year. The project will also generate renewable geothermal electricity and heat for local communities and industry.
Commenting on the milestone, Vulcan Energy Managing Director and CEO Cris Moreno said:
"We are delighted to reach another important milestone with the commencement of commercial-scale VULSORB® production. This achievement further de-risks technology deployment, supply chains and project execution ahead of first commercial lithium production.
VULSORB® is one of the few commercially bankable adsorption-based direct lithium extraction technologies supported by western intellectual property and a diversified manufacturing supply chain.
This milestone reinforces Vulcan's position as a leading lithium technology company and lays the foundation for future development across the Upper Rhine Valley as we continue our 'design one, build many' approach."
Production of VULSORB® will support not only Phase One Lionheart, but also future developments across Vulcan's Upper Rhine Valley portfolio and selected technology licensing opportunities.
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