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Koppar aims to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide from geothermal brines. A direct ported from Wyoming in the US all the way
lithium extraction process is being assessed and success would mean lithium processing down to the Atacama desert, so distance
will be quicker and less water and carbon-intensive relative to the evaporative method to market is a real factor,” he said.
used in South American salars Koppar’s indicative timeline, subject
to exploration and conceptual success
along the way, currently has the Vulcan
project ready for permitting, financing and
construction in 2022-23.
According to forecasts Koppar is fol-
lowing, by the mid-2020s Europe will
account for about 16% of global lithium-
ion battery production and battery-grade
lithium products (hydroxide or carbonate).
Wedin said that represented the entire
global demand now for lithium products
(200-300,000 tpa lithium carbonate) of
which zero production of battery-grade
lithium currently comes from Europe.
The lithium market has been soft this
year due to oversupply and a slower than
anticipated rise in conversion capacity
downstream but Wedin said the sector
was poised to bounce back after experi-
encing a retraction from what was a pre-
mature boom.
“I don’t think anyone fully grasped how
much of a big effort it is in terms of capex
and build the amount needed for batteries
and cars,” he said.
“This is a massive transition. Obviously
Tesla was kicking off back then and start-
ing to get widespread adoption, but the
other car companies [weren’t]. I think the
inflection point starts in a year or so and
for Europe it is really 2023 onwards when
EU. It is a very clear message that they from South American brine, it would have you really start to get that mass produc-
want local supply going into that early to travelled 50,000km by the time it arrives as tion of EVs. I think the market has started
mid-2020s period,” Wedin said. an EV delivered to your door. to become more educated and hopefully
“It is a big call and effort producing a “That is a huge number for a semi-bulk lithium ends up in a more sensible pricing
net zero carbon EV, but Volkswagen have commodity; you can imagine the CO2 range, which I think it is doing, and will be
identified the cathode of the battery as the from that and that doesn’t include all the more sustainable going forward.”
CO2 hotspot and lithium is part of that.” reagents that have to be transported down – Mark Andrews
Some analysts say that when you buy to South America. For instance, soda ash
an EV in Europe, if your lithium is sourced for the lithium carbonate has to be im-

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