Cornish Lithium has launched the UK’s first lithium hydroxide demonstration plant in Cornwall.
Cornish Lithium says the launch, at the Trelavour hard rock project in St Dennis, near St Austell, represents a major step towards the commercial production of lithium in Britain and marks a key milestone in the nation’s transition to clean power by 2030.
Lithium is critically important to the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs), grid scale electricity storage, and rechargeable industrial and consumer electronics.
The UK possesses the largest lithium resource in Europe, yet currently imports 100% of the lithium that it uses.
In Cornwall, an industrial scale of this vital mineral exists within the county’s underlying geology, in lithium-enriched granites – enough to extract 50,000 tonnes per year for more than 20 years and to provide the EV industry with more than half of its predicted requirement.
Cornish Lithium CEO, Jeremy Wrathall, said: “The opening of this demonstration plant is a landmark moment for Cornish Lithium as it will confirm the viability of extracting lithium from the mineralisation found in Cornwall on a semi-industrial scale and enable us to supply high-grade samples to battery manufacturers.
“From 2027, our Trelavour Hard Rock Project is set to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide at a rate of 10,000 tonnes per year, which will contribute a GVA (Gross Value Added) of at least £800 million to the Cornish economy and create more than 300 jobs in Cornwall during the life of the project.
“The Government’s recent recognition that this is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project further strengthens Cornwall’s future as a trailblazing lithium hub. By contributing a secure source of lithium for the UK’s new battery industry and reducing its reliance on carbon-intensive imports, we will turbocharge the UK’s competitive advantage and bolster its resilience to the volatility of global supply chains.
“This is Cornwall’s opportunity to kickstart Britain’s economic growth and transform the nation into a clean energy superpower.”
