Neptune Energy tests lithium extraction from thermal water in Germany

Neptune Energy has launched a second pilot phase in the Altmark region of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, to test a new facility designed to extract lithium from deep thermal water. The project, conducted in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Infrastructure and Geothermal Systems (IEG), aims to determine the technical and economic viability of Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE).

According to Neptune Energy, approximately 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent are located underground in the region, dissolved in hot thermal water at depths of 3,000 to 4,000 meters. The pilot plant processes up to 1,000 liters of thermal water per day to test various adsorbent materials for their ability to reliably bind lithium ions.

Successful extraction could significantly increase Europe's independence regarding the battery industry, which requires large quantities of lithium for electric vehicles, power storage, and electronic devices. While Germany has had little domestic lithium production to date, this project seeks to prove whether lithium can be recovered in industrial quantities from these deep water sources.