Successful lithium production Vulcan’s Optimisation Plants.
The optimisation plants will serve as important process optimisation and training facilities, in preparation for the Company’s commercial operations. They are analogous to Vulcan’s Phase One commercial plants, with similar process flowsheets.
Lithium Extraction Optimisation Plant Vulcan LEOP.
In April 2024, Vulcan has started the production of the first lithium chloride (LiCl) from the Lithium Extraction Optimisation Plant (LEOP). This is the first LiCl domestically produced from a local source with an entirely locally sourced value chain in Europe, for Europe.
Early results have consistently recorded over 90% (up to 95%) lithium extraction efficiency from its A-DLE unit, which is in line with expectations.
Representing a more than €40m investment by Vulcan, LEOP is an optimisation, operational training and product qualification testing facility designed to enable operational readiness for when the Phase One Lionheart commercial facility is completed.
LEOP builds on over three years and more than 10,000 hours of successful in-house A-DLE piloting both in the Vulcan labs and at its pilot plants in Insheim and Landau.
The LiCl produced by LEOP represents the first lithium chemicals fully produced from a locally sourced raw material, i.e. extracted and then processed locally, at this plant scale in Europe. During hot commissioning and startup of LEOP, a generic aluminate-based lithium adsorbent was used, that has been used before in Vulcan’s lab and pilot plants. Vulcan’s high-performance aluminate-based lithium adsorbent VULSORB® is used for the long-term operation. The LiCl product (40% weight solution) produced from LEOP is transported to the Höchst Industrial Park in Frankfurt-Höchst, where Vulcan’s downstream optimisation plant CLEOP is located. At CLEOP, LiCl is converted into battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM).
In January 2025, Vulcan has produced the first battery-quality LHM at its CLEOP, representing the first fully integrated, battery-quality LHM produced in Europe, from raw material to final product.
The commercial project is aiming for 24,000 tonnes per annum of lithium hydroxide production capacity, the financing process of which is currently being led by BNP Paribas.
Central Lithium Electrolysis Optimisation Plant Vulcan CLEOP.
At Vulcan’s pre-commercial downstream optimisation facility CLEOP, we process the lithium chloride solution from our upstream plant LEOP in Landau into lithium hydroxide for the production of electric vehicle batteries. Since the beginning of November, the plant is officially opened and producing the first sustainable lithium hydroxide from raw material to end product in Europe, representing a big step for Europe’s independence from raw materials and for the transition to sustainable, electric transportation.
In January 2025, Vulcan has produced the first battery-quality LHM at its CLEOP, representing the first fully integrated, battery-quality LHM produced in Europe, from raw material to final product. Battery-quality LHM from CLEOP will be used in ongoing qualification processes with Vulcan’s European focused offtakers, including Stellantis, Renault, LG and Umicore, whilst Vulcan’s Phase One project is being constructed.
Lithium Extraction Pilot Plants Vulcan Pilot Plants.
Since the beginning of 2021, Vulcan’s Lithium Extraction Pilot Plant has been in continuous and successful operation at multiple well locations to de-risk the lithium production process. The aim of operating the pilot plant was to test and optimise the process of Direct Lithium Extraction with our sorbent VULSORB®.
- 10,000 hours of successful in-house pilot plant performance
- Showing more than 90% lithium recoveries
- 1000 cycles of sorbent life with no degradation
