Australia-listed lithium developer Vulcan Energy has secured a second production licence for its 24,000 t/yr Lionheart lithium hydroxide project in Germany's Upper Rhine Valley brine field.
The six-year licence covers Vulcan's Landau geothermal production area, which is already producing geothermal heat, the company said on 11 September. Vulcan estimates that Lionheart will supply 275 GWh/yr of renewable power and 560 GWh/yr of renewable heat over a 30-year project life.
Lionheart's first six-year production licence, covering Vulcan's Insheim geothermal production area, was granted in March.
The company plans to combine both licences into a single 30-year licence before expiry in 2032.
Lionheart remains on track to start production in 2028, Vulcan said.
The company is also developing the separate Project Ludwig to produce 21,100 t/yr of battery-grade lithium carbonate in Germany's Ludwigshafen region. The company will not reach a final investment decision on Project Ludwig until after Lionheart begins production.
