Vulcan receives commercial lithium extraction plant permit

Lionheart will have the capacity to produce 275 GWh of power, 560 GWh of heat, and 24 000 tpy of lithium hydroxide (enough for approximately 500 000 electric vehicles).

Key highlights

• The LEP forms part of the integrated commercial geothermal and lithium extraction plant (G-LEP) and will be constructed next to the geothermal power plant. Building permits for the 30 MW geothermal plant and electrical substation were received in June 2025, with land acquisition approval for the G-LEP received from the City of Landau in September 2025.
• As an integrated G-LEP, the company will use intermediate heat exchangers at each of its well sites to efficiently transfer heat from geothermal brine into a closed-loop industrial water cycle. This system will send hot industrial water via pipelines to the district heating facility and Organic Rankine Cycle plants. After the heat is utilised, the cooled water is recirculated back to the heat exchanger for reheating.
• Simultaneously, the cooled lithium-rich brine is directed from the heat exchanger to the LEP for the lithium extraction to occur, using Vulcan’s proprietary VULSORB® adsorbent technology. The lithium-depleted brine is then reinjected into the reservoir, completing the cycle. The project is uniquely carbon neutral over its life cycle and burns zero fossil fuels in the process of producing the lithium.
• From the LEP, lithium chloride solution will be transported to the downstream commercial central lithium plant (CLP) at Industrial Park Höchst, Frankfurt. The building permit for the CLP was received in September 2025, with the company now in receipt of all major construction permits for Phase One.
• The planned modular build of the G-LEP will allow for phased development across future phases in Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field.
• The LEP permit forms part of the company’s Phase One financing requirements, which is targeted for finalisation during 4Q25.

Vulcan Energy’s Managing Director and CEO, Cris Moreno, commented:

“Securing this permit means we are one step closer to producing battery-quality lithium products from the same geothermal brine that is used to produce renewable energy for local use. We are establishing a sustainable, domestic, and cost-effective source of lithium for the European battery and automotive industries, supporting the EU’s goal of reducing critical raw material dependencies.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/03112025/vulcan-receives-commercial-lithium-extraction-plant-permit/