Cornish Lithium Ltd has formed a consortium with Imerys Minerals Ltd and consultancy firm HSSMI for a £1 million project to produce lithium from china clay (kaolin) operations in Cornwall.
EFFICIENCY
The Innovate UK-funded project will assess the potential for lithium extraction from waste material of current and historic kaolin production processes.
Cornish Lithium will be the lead partner in the group which will also evaluate the economic viability of extracting lithium from minerals that occur in the same rock as kaolin to increase mining efficiency.
The company said that, if successful, the process would make the Cornish kaolin industry more competitive in international markets and help secure domestic supply of lithium.
KAOLIN
Kaolin was discovered in Cornwall in 1746 and is largely sourced from decomposed granite shown to contain lithium minerals in the form of lithium mica.
In 1987, a British Geological Survey report outlined the lithium potential in the kaolin region in Cornwall, but without any economic need at the time. The metal is today viewed as critical for the battery industry.
PARTNERS
French multinational company Imerys is one of the world’s largest producers of kaolin with a revenue of €3.8 billion and a 16,400 workforce.
Imerys employs more than 750 people in mid-Cornwall and 1,100 people in the UK.
From Cornwall, Imerys supplies applications such as paints, coatings, plastics, ceramics, rubber, pharmaceuticals or cosmetics.
Founded in 2012, HSSMI has worked with government bodies, established manufacturers and aspiring start-ups.
The company’s expertise includes manufacturing strategy, digital manufacturing tools, lean manufacturing and automation, hydrogen propulsion, advanced manufacturing simulation, E-drives, battery technology, and project management.