Cornish Developer and operator of deep geothermal power Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) has produced lithium carbonate that exceeds the 99.3% purity threshold for technical-grade material in European first.
Lithium carbonate is a key material used in battery production, making secure supplies increasingly important as the UK expands electric vehicle manufacturing and wider electrification.
The company said this could allow the product to be sold directly to battery producers without refining, as independent analysis confirmed the lithium carbonate produced at the United Downs site in Cornwall meets the specification for technical-grade material.
The development comes as the UK seeks to increase domestic production of critical minerals and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains.
The government has set a target of meeting 10% of the country’s critical mineral demand through domestic production by 2035, including at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate.
Dr Ryan Law, CEO of GEL, said: “Producing lithium carbonate that exceeds the purity specification for Technical Grade material is a major milestone for GEL and an important validation of our technology.
“We are demonstrating that it is possible to produce a high-quality, saleable lithium product in the UK with the highest environmental standards, creating the potential for a more secure and sustainable domestic supply of this critical battery material.”
It is expected for production at United Downs to reach around 2,000 tonnes per year by 2029. With additional sites planned, the company forecasts total production of up to 30,000 tonnes annually by 2033.
This could potentially account for more than 60% of the UK’s lithium carbonate target.
The company combines lithium extraction with geothermal power generation, with previous benchmarking studies ranking its production method among the lowest-impact lithium production processes.
Production at the United Downs plant began in February 2026, with the facility currently capable of producing 100 tonnes of lithium carbonate a year. The project has also received £1.8 million in funding through the Automotive Transformation Fund’s DRIVE35 programme.
Technical-grade lithium carbonate is traded internationally, with the Shanghai Metals Market among the markets used to reference prices. GEL say the reference price stood at approximately $22,000 (£16,400) per tonne on the 20th August.
The company said reaching the technical-grade specification represents a step towards scaling up UK production of lithium carbonate and developing a domestic supply of the battery-critical material.
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