Amid progressing the delivery of Europe’s first battery-grade lithium hydroxide product sourced from a European lithium resource, Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL) has begun commissioning its lithium hydroxide optimisation plant.
The plant, dubbed CLEOP, has a downstream facility that lies just outside of Frankfurt, where Vulcan will also be constructing its commercial central lithium plant.
Vulcan Energy, which has a market capitalisation of $711.35 million, says the main building and utility systems have been completed to allow first energisations to take place.
Power has been fed to the plant for the first time through the main switchboard, which is a critical step for an electrolysis plant.
Once the plant is operational, CLEOP will convert lithium chloride from its upstream lithium extraction optimisation plant to battery grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM).
From raw materials to final product, Vulcan Energy says this will represent the first fully domestically produced LHM in Europe.
Both plants will serve as important process optimisation and training facilities, in preparation for Vulcan Energy’s operations.
CEO Cris Moreno says in the coming months the company will begin to transport the first lithium chloride parcels from its upstream facility through to CLEOP for production of the products.
“The start of commissioning of Vulcan’s downstream lithium optimisation facility is a significant milestone for Europe’s critical raw material independence, and for its electric vehicle supply chain independence,” Moreno says.
CLEOP is a pre-commercial downstream optimisation plant. The company plans to use the CLEOP facility to train personnel and optimise processes in a pre-commercial setting, ahead of constructing the commercial plant.
Vulcan Energy expects the lithium hydroxide monohydrate production from CLEOP will allow for progress in the lithium hydroxide monohydrate product qualification required by offtake partners, as well as reduce the potential for delay and fast-track product to market once commercial production begins.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Vulcan Energy Resources
