Where is lithium found in France?
The battery market is growing at an accelerated pace, driving an increased demand for lithium. With the rising prominence of electromobility, lithium consumption has doubled in the past decade. Globally, lithium production comes from either hard rock or brine. In France, various concentrations of lithium are found in hard rock. Some of these are already exploited for the ceramics and glass industries. However, these lithium resources had not previously been studied to assess their full potential.
Today, several battery technologies are being developed, but lithium-ion technology remains the most efficient and widely used. According to battery specialist Jean-Marie Tarascon, “Lithium remains the solution for the future.” So, what about France’s lithium reserves? The end of 2022 brought significant announcements. Could projects materialize in the coming months? This article takes stock of the situation.
Lithium mine: projects on the horizon
A major lithium mine is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 in the Allier region. This mine will extract lithium, a key component for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries. The project is poised to be one of the largest lithium extraction endeavors in Europe. It would enable France to meet its lithium needs while advancing its energy transition goals. However, the Allier region is not the only area with significant lithium deposits.
Recently, Germany-based company Vulcan Energy announced its intention to expand operations to Alsace. Other sites in France might also be developed. In February 2022, Barbara Pompili stated, “France must extract lithium from its territory.”
As the demand for electric vehicles skyrockets, the European Commission projects that Europe will need 18 times more lithium by 2030. The value of lithium continues to rise, reflecting its critical role as an essential resource for producing lithium-ion batteries.
The deposit in Échassières, Allier, could produce 34,000 tons of lithium hydroxide annually. This output would enable the production of 700,000 electric car batteries over 25 years.
Distribution of lithium resources
Does French soil hold this new “white gold”? According to a study by the Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM), France’s lithium is distributed across approximately 40 sources. These are mainly located in three regions: the Massif Central, Alsace, and Brittany. BRGM suggests that additional sites may be discovered “near known districts,” particularly in the Massif Central, which is deemed the most promising area for mining exploration. By the end of 2022, several exclusive research permits were filed for former mining sites.
Most known resources fall into three categories: lithium-rich pegmatites, rare-metal granites, and associated greisens. Lithium is present in various lithium-bearing minerals, requiring multiple processes to extract lithium of sufficient quality for battery manufacturing. The complexity of these processes is a key factor in determining both the extraction costs and the profitability of the deposit.