UK’s first Lithium Refinery

[Mark]

UK’s First Lithium Refinery to be built in Teesside
https://greenlithium.co.uk/
https://greenlithium.co.uk/news/uks-fir ... n-teesside

[adam2]

Good news.
Better to refine it in the UK, rather than overseas. Jobs for British workers.
UK production is hopefully greener than in most other places.

[Mark]

Agreed......, now all we need is a Gigafactory for lithium-ion batteries....

[adam2]

Agreed......, now all we need is a Gigafactory for lithium-ion batteries....

Which will be slightly more viable if the raw material is produced locally rather than being imported.
Despite the failure of the first attempt.

[mr brightside]

Is there not enough recycled or recyclable lithium around in this country? Quite a lot of batteries must get wanged in the UK.

[UndercoverElephant]

UK’s First Lithium Refinery to be built in Teesside
https://greenlithium.co.uk/
https://greenlithium.co.uk/news/uks-fir ... n-teesside

Why build it on Teeside when the UK's lithium is in Cornwall?

[Mark]

Why build it on Teeside when the UK's lithium is in Cornwall?

That crossed my mind too, but I think the amount in Cornwall is tiny in global terms....
The port, and the existing chemical infrastructure and skills probably make Teesside more viable....

This chart shows which countries produce the most lithium:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/ ... ium-world/
Suspect the new refinery will be targeting material from South America....?
Surprised that Bolivia's not on the list....

[PS_RalphW]

I have heard that the Tesla model Y has the battery pack as a part of the structure of the car to save weight, which is great except even minor road damage can damage the structure of the battery, making both the car and the battery a write off, over safety concerns. This will accelerate the need and financial incentive to build battery recycling plants quickly, and making the Tesla very expensive to insure.

[BritDownUnder]

I think Evo Morales when he was Bolivian President banned foreign companies undertaking lithium mining. I understood that the Salar de Uyuni was the world's single largest source of lithium.

[Mark]

Bolivia’s dream of a lithium future plays out on high-altitude salt flats:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... salt-flats

Think another problem, not mentioned, will be getting the lithium out of Bolivia, with it being a land-locked country...
The Bolivians are still sore about losing the War of the Pacific, and hence their access to the sea...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Pacific

[BritDownUnder]

Yes the rail line to Chile's ports makes the most sense for Bolivia and Lithium at $85,000 per tonne is tempting. As you said politics may get in the way and the Bolivians are very sore losers. One presumes the rail will be downhill all the way as well making for a kind of perpetual motion train like exists in Australian Iron Ore mines where the full trains go downhill and charge their batteries and then return back from the seaport empty and uphill, much lighter on their battery power.

I expect China will pay peanuts for the reserves and process it themselves.

On another note I think there are a lot of reserves in the US under the Salton Sea - a very interesting place.

Only when the lithium is sitting in my driveway or stuck to the side of my house do I feel happy.

[kenneal - lagger]

I would place lead acid on the floor outside my house rather than stick something to the wall. Usually much cheaper.