Rock Tech Lithium’s (TSX-V:RCK) Lithium Converter Project in Germany has been recognised as a ‘strategic project’ under the EU Critical Raw Materials Act.
The company says this designation underscores the importance of Rock Tech’s Guben Converter to the European battery materials supply chain and further accelerates its mission to provide Europe with sustainable, locally produced lithium.
Rock Tech’s Guben Converter is poised to produce 24,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide annually — enough to power more than 500,000 electric vehicles.
CEO Dirk Harbecke says the milestone not only affirms the strategic value of the Guben project but also positions Rock Tech as a key enabler of Europe’s green industrial future.
“We are honoured to be recognised as a strategic project by the European Commission and remain fully committed to advancing a secure, sustainable, and independent lithium supply for Europe,” says Harbecke.
Implemented in May 2024, the Critical Raw Materials Act is a cornerstone initiative aimed at securing a resilient and sustainable supply of 17 critical raw materials essential for Europe’s energy transition.
It enhances the EU’s capacity for extraction, processing, and refining of strategic raw materials, reduces reliance on imports from third countries while upholding the highest environmental and social standards.
With over 170 applications submitted to the European Commission, Rock Tech is proud that the Guben Converter was selected in this highly competitive process. The European Commission has announced that it will initially use 2bn EUR to support selected projects through loans, financing, and guarantees.
Rock Tech’s vision is to supply the electric vehicle and battery industry with sustainable, locally produced lithium, targeting a 100% recycling rate. To ensure resilient supply chains, the company plans to build lithium converters at the doorstep of its customers, beginning with its proposed Lithium Hydroxide Converter in Guben, Brandenburg, Germany.
The second converter is planned to be built in Red Rock, Ontario, Canada.
Rock Tech Lithium plans to source raw material from its own Georgia Lake spodumene project in the Thunder Bay Mining District of Ontario, Canada, and procure from other ESG-compliant mines.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Rock Tech
