Conventional methods for lithium extraction are a burden on the environment. Depending on the process, the CO₂ footprint and water consumption are immense. The large amount of land required is also a burden on the environment and raises social issues in the mining countries.

Unlike conventional lithium mining, Vulcan’s ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ Project aims to not burn fossil fuels in the lithium production and processing exercise and is environmentally and socially responsible due to very low water consumption and land use.

Vulcan uses ‘zero carbon’ in its trademark to refer to the climate change impact of the lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) product extraction and processing. Vulcan is currently expecting zero burning of fossil fuels in its process to produce LHM once fully operational. Since 2020, Vulcan has commissioned Minviro to undertake a series of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) compliant Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). These are cradle-to-gate studies which include the extraction of the raw lithium product, the geothermal plant, the brine handling, the purification, electrolysis and crystallisation, and the transport of the product from well sites through to the final processing plant. The LCA does not include emissions associated with construction of the ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ production plant, or the Vulcan Group’s corporate office emissions.

The latest update of the LCA, undertaken in 2024, found that Vulcan’s integrated renewable energy and ZERO CARBON LITHIUM™ Project has an overall net climate change impact contribution of –2.0 kg CO₂ eq. per kg LiOH.H₂O. This included the estimated emissions from lithium production and transport including import of energy from the grid, and estimated emissions avoided due to export of geothermal electricity and heat into the grid and district heating respectively. For full information on the LCA calculation, please see the 2023 Sustainability Report. The Company is committed to continuing to update the LCA and any associated messaging as the project moves into execution and construction.