Powering Your Future

Extracting lithium from Cornish granite and processing it sustainably.

Powering Your Future

Researching and developing brand new technology.

Powering Your Future

Advancing towards UK-produced, battery-grade lithium.

Explore the Future of Lithium Production with
Imerys British Lithium

Launched in 2023, Imerys British Lithium (IBL) combines the expertise and resources of both Imerys and British Lithium in a joint venture.

As a worldwide supplier of minerals for a variety of industries including ceramics, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, Imerys is one of Cornwall’s largest employers and owns the land where a significant lithium deposit has been found.

British Lithium was established in 2017 by highly experienced mining professionals who, since then, have been researching and developing newly patented methods of extracting lithium and producing lithium carbonate here in Cornwall.

An operational pilot plant has been up and running research and development work near Roche since 2022, and this is already producing battery quality lithium carbonate.

Ultimately, we aim to produce around 21,000 tonnes of high quality lithium carbonate every year, before the end of the decade, over the next 30 years.

Lithium Exploration

Lithium Exploration

Our work has identified a resource of over 100 million tonnes in a former clay quarry near St Austell – enough to support our projected annual production of 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate.

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Research & Development

Research & Development

In 2019 we built the UK’s only dedicated lithium metallurgical research laboratory in Cornwall. In 2021 we built Europe’s only lithium pilot plant.

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Protecting Our Environment

Protecting Our Environment

We are developing innovative, best-in-class, sustainable technology to economically extract lithium from Cornish granites and believe our project will be world-beating in terms of environmental performance.

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News & Media

News & Media

We’re getting attention – see our latest coverage.

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Recruitment

Recruitment

We are on a fast trajectory, actively pursuing ambitious goals, and are therefore recruiting for various roles.

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Implemented Projects

The team behind Imerys British Lithium have successfully implemented
a number of resource projects
over the years. Some of these
are showcased here.

Projects Map
Cinovec Lithium (Czech Republic) Cominco Phosphate (Republic of Congo) Youanmi Gold (Western Australia) Windimurra Vanadium (Western Australia)

Cinovec Lithium (Czech Republic)

 

 

 

Cominco Phosphate (Republic of Congo)

Youanmi Gold (Western Australia)

Windimurra Vanadium (Western Australia)

Imerys British Lithium: on track to become Europe’s first commercial battery-grade lithium carbonate producer

Imerys, the world leader in mineral-based specialty solutions, has acquired an 80% stake in British Lithium. The transaction will bring together Imerys’ expertise in mining, infrastructure in Cornwall, R&D and process development capabilities, as well as its lithium mineral resources, with British Lithium’s bespoke technology and state-of-the-art lithium pilot plant, which recently produced battery-grade lithium carbonate.

Green mining of the future

From the very start, our aim has been to achieve the lowest environmental footprint possible. Car electrification is based on the need for a greener future, yet most lithium production is currently powered by coal in China.

That’s why we have developed a highly efficient process for concentrating lithium mica without using chemicals and why we will be using renewable energy to power our newly invented Mi-Sep ® technology which has a patent pending.

Welcome to Imerys British Lithium

We are developing a production method with the lowest environmental footprint possible. Car electrification is based on the need for a greener future and lithium production must be sustainable.

Our highly efficient process uses our patented Mi-Sep and Li-Sep technologies to concentrate lithium mica without using chemicals and is powered by renewables.

We go to great lengths to minimise our use of chemicals so the waste coming from our plant does not need neutralising. Once we have made a lithium mica concentrate, we calcine it at low temperature using lime as a reagent, rather than acid. The solution is subsequently purified to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate.

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