British Lithium Ltd claimed that “independent analysis predicted it would lead the world in greenhouse gas emission reduction (GHG)” with the company’s extraction technology and proposed mine in Cornwall.
BENCHMARKING
The company added in a statement that environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks were also likely to be significantly lower than those of existing lithium mines.
British Lithium said that the findings were from a benchmarking process conducted as part of the £2.9 million Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Phase II grant awarded to British Lithium by Innovate UK.
“The Cornwall-based company needed to prove its green credentials in a rigorous assessment that included comparing its forecast energy consumption, GHG emissions, water consumption and recycling plans with current lithium producers.
“The analysis has just been completed and, in the final SBRI report, British Lithium’s pilot plant at Roche, near St Austell, is described as ‘an exemplary project which is a good role model for both Innovate UK investment and for business alike’.
“It also concluded that the company had exceeded its objectives, met its planned timetable, was on budget and that both marketing and project planning activities ‘exceeded expectations’.”
OPERATIONAL STATUS
“We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome and would like to thank SBRI and the Innovate UK teams for all their support and help to date,” said British Lithium CEO Andrew Smith.
“Looking after the environment is an absolute must and, to that end, we’ll continue doing as much as we possibly can to improve our sustainability as we progress towards full operational status.”
PATENTS
British Lithium is currently producing lithium carbonate from the mica in Cornish granite at its newly built pilot plant.
Patents are pending for the innovative processes with full scale operations expected to begin within three to five years.
The company anticipates producing around one third of the UK’s lithium carbonate demand by 2030.