Well at Rittershoffen geothermal site in Alsace, France (source: ThinkGeoEnergy)
The French mining company Eramet has signed an exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Électricité de Strasbourg (ÉS) to study the development of a lithium production facility from a geothermal source in Alsace, France. The target is for the facility to start operations within the decade with a final investment decision to be made “within a horizon of 4 years.”
The signing of the MOU marks the deepening of the cooperation of the two companies that have been doing lithium extraction studies in two geothermal plants in northern Alsace since 2020. We reported on the success of pilot-scale tests conducted by Eramet in 2021 at the Rittershoffen geothermal power plant. Eramet’s teams used the groundbreaking direct lithium extraction process developed as part of its Centenario Lithium project and is based on an innovative material developed by Eramet and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN).
At this early stage, Eramet and ÉS are considering an annual production of around 10,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate corresponding to the needs of around 250,000 electric vehicles per year. In addition to providing their innovative lithium extraction process, Eramet brings to the table their know-how in extracting, refining, producing, and marketing lithium.
