The lithium extraction process developed by British Lithium Limited and its proposed mine will "lead the world" in greenhouse gas emission reduction, according to an an independent assessment as part of the government-backed Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI).
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks for the company, which produces battery-grade lithium carbonate from the mica in Cornish granite at its new pilot plant at Roche, near St Austell, are also likely to be significantly lower than those of existing lithium mines, the assessment found.
The findings emerged from a final report from the benchmarking process carried out as part of the £2.9mln Small SBRI grant awarded to the company by Innovate UK.
The sustainability of the project was a key element of the assessment, which included comparing its forecast energy consumption, carbon emissions, water consumption and recycling plans with current lithium producers.
Following completion of the analysis, the final SBRI report said the pilot plant, is "an exemplary project which is a good role model for both Innovate UK investment and for business alike".
The research concluded that the company had exceeded its objectives, met its planned timetable, was on budget and that both marketing and project planning activities "exceeded expectations".
British Lithium chief executive Andrew Smith: “Looking after the environment is an absolute must and, to that end, we’ll continue doing as much as we possibly can to improve our sustainability as we progress towards full operational status.”
Several patents are pending for the technology and processes involved at the plant that have been developed over five years of work.
Full scale operations are expected to begin within three to five years’ time, with the intention of producing around one third of the UK’s lithium carbonate demand by 2030, when all UK car manufacture will have to be exclusively electric.