Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Li4life (NOVEL DOMESTIC BATTERY GRADE LITHIUM CARBONATE VALUE CHAIN FOR GREEN LIFE)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-03-01 al 2025-08-31
Li4Life addresses the urgent need to secure sustainable and resilient lithium supply chains within the European Union, motivated by the strategic importance of lithium in clean energy technologies, particularly batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage. For this reason, lithium has been permanently included in the list of Critical Raw Materials in the EU.
European lithium resources are associated with complex and low-grade hard rock ores and post-mining tailings, requiring innovative extraction and processing technologies tailored to these unique geological conditions. Besides, the EU economy is largely dependent on the import of raw materials, making it vulnerable to supply risks. Expanding lithium ore production within the EU is essential to increase domestic supply and reduce dependence on the dominant lithium producers. However, strong public opposition to the environmental impacts of mining, combined with existing technological barriers, creates significant challenges that hinder the development of new projects, despite their strategic importance.
The project’s pathway to impact is built around the development of an energy-efficient and environmentally conscious pilot plant for processing and refining lithium. Li4Life integrates cutting-edge technologies at various stages of technological readiness, including advanced extraction, hydrometallurgical processing, and purification methods for producing high-purity battery-grade Li2CO3.
European lithium resources are associated with complex and low-grade hard rock ores and post-mining tailings, requiring innovative extraction and processing technologies tailored to these unique geological conditions. Besides, the EU economy is largely dependent on the import of raw materials, making it vulnerable to supply risks. Expanding lithium ore production within the EU is essential to increase domestic supply and reduce dependence on the dominant lithium producers. However, strong public opposition to the environmental impacts of mining, combined with existing technological barriers, creates significant challenges that hinder the development of new projects, despite their strategic importance.
The project’s pathway to impact is built around the development of an energy-efficient and environmentally conscious pilot plant for processing and refining lithium. Li4Life integrates cutting-edge technologies at various stages of technological readiness, including advanced extraction, hydrometallurgical processing, and purification methods for producing high-purity battery-grade Li2CO3.
Four types of complex Li ores have been investigated across the full processing chain, from sampling and preparation to the production of battery-grade Li2CO3:
• Finalization of large-scale sampling and characterisation of Li-ore samples at five sites in three countries. Zinnwaldite Li-ore (both raw ore and processing waste) from Cínovec and Krásno-Horní Slavkov deposits in Czechia; sedimentary Li-ore (swinefordite) from Valjevo project in Serbia; lepidolite and petalite Li-ores from Spanish sites Villasrubias and Presqueiras, respectively.
• Preliminary beneficiation and concentration tests (classification, magnetic separation, flotation) have been performed, confirming the limitations of conventional mineral processing.
• Sensor-based sorting has been tested as an alternative mineral processing route, with initial trials on zinnwaldite and lepidolite ores.
• Physical separation tests were performed, obtaining the highest Li grade with zinnwaldite using magnetic separation, whereas the rest of the ores were concentrated using froth flotation.
• A wide range of hydrometallurgical leaching routes (including deep eutectic solvents and pyro-hydrometallurgy) using sulphuric, citric, oxalic acids and sodium carbonate have been tested, achieving high lithium and boron recovery.
• The equipment for the flotation and bioleaching pilots has been procured and commissioned. Flotation of swinefordite ore has achieved modest lithium concentration improvements. Bioleaching pilots are fully operational, and lepidolite has been selected as the most suitable ore to be scaled up.
• Tailored inventories designed and circulated to capture environmental (LCA), cost (LCC), and social indicators for Li4Life processes.
• Finalization of large-scale sampling and characterisation of Li-ore samples at five sites in three countries. Zinnwaldite Li-ore (both raw ore and processing waste) from Cínovec and Krásno-Horní Slavkov deposits in Czechia; sedimentary Li-ore (swinefordite) from Valjevo project in Serbia; lepidolite and petalite Li-ores from Spanish sites Villasrubias and Presqueiras, respectively.
• Preliminary beneficiation and concentration tests (classification, magnetic separation, flotation) have been performed, confirming the limitations of conventional mineral processing.
• Sensor-based sorting has been tested as an alternative mineral processing route, with initial trials on zinnwaldite and lepidolite ores.
• Physical separation tests were performed, obtaining the highest Li grade with zinnwaldite using magnetic separation, whereas the rest of the ores were concentrated using froth flotation.
• A wide range of hydrometallurgical leaching routes (including deep eutectic solvents and pyro-hydrometallurgy) using sulphuric, citric, oxalic acids and sodium carbonate have been tested, achieving high lithium and boron recovery.
• The equipment for the flotation and bioleaching pilots has been procured and commissioned. Flotation of swinefordite ore has achieved modest lithium concentration improvements. Bioleaching pilots are fully operational, and lepidolite has been selected as the most suitable ore to be scaled up.
• Tailored inventories designed and circulated to capture environmental (LCA), cost (LCC), and social indicators for Li4Life processes.
- Research and demonstration: Li4Life is validating several technologies at laboratory and pilot levels and applying advanced modelling and digital twin simulations to evaluate their feasibility and environmental performance at scale.
- Regulatory and standardisation frameworks: Li4Life is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the legal, environmental, safety, and economic aspects of those technologies.
- Societal acceptance and stakeholder engagement: carrying out social impact and acceptability assessments, applying participatory methodologies to understand public perceptions, build trust in technology, assess community involvement, and analyse the distribution of risks and benefits.
- Replicability and scalability: Li4Life identifies and characterises lithium-rich deposits across multiple EU regions and aims to build replicable business cases for other locations.
- Exploitation and market readiness: Li4Life is implementing a structured Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication strategy. Intellectual Property Rights support and knowledge transfer are included to safeguard innovations and attract investment.
- Regulatory and standardisation frameworks: Li4Life is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the legal, environmental, safety, and economic aspects of those technologies.
- Societal acceptance and stakeholder engagement: carrying out social impact and acceptability assessments, applying participatory methodologies to understand public perceptions, build trust in technology, assess community involvement, and analyse the distribution of risks and benefits.
- Replicability and scalability: Li4Life identifies and characterises lithium-rich deposits across multiple EU regions and aims to build replicable business cases for other locations.
- Exploitation and market readiness: Li4Life is implementing a structured Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication strategy. Intellectual Property Rights support and knowledge transfer are included to safeguard innovations and attract investment.