This startup operates a lithium extraction company that employs direct lithium extraction (DLE) methods to produce battery-grade lithium sustainably for the UK market. By minimizing environmental impact, the company enables local businesses to support the transition to electric vehicles and decrease dependence on imported lithium.
Funding
$13.2M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
The UK relies heavily on imported lithium, a critical mineral for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage, creating supply chain vulnerabilities and hindering the nation's transition to net-zero emissions. Scaling up domestic lithium production is essential to meet the growing demand and ensure a secure and sustainable supply.
Solution
Northern Lithium is a mineral exploration and development company focused on extracting lithium from subsurface brines in the UK, utilizing direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. The company employs a closed-loop extraction process, involving drilling boreholes into granite to access lithium-rich brines, extracting the lithium using DLE, and re-injecting the processed brines back into the subsurface. This approach minimizes environmental impact compared to traditional lithium extraction methods. Northern Lithium aims to establish multiple production sites across the Northern Pennine Orefield, contributing significantly to the UK's domestic lithium supply.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes UK-based gigafactories, electric vehicle manufacturers, and energy storage industries seeking a secure and sustainable domestic supply of lithium.
Features
- Employs Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology for efficient lithium recovery from subsurface brines.
- Utilizes a closed-loop system with extraction and re-injection wells to minimize environmental impact.
- Combines multiple data sources to identify optimal drilling locations with economically viable lithium concentrations.
- Partners with technology firms to deploy advanced filtration and separation techniques.
- Holds exclusive mineral rights across a significant area of the Northern Pennine Orefield.
- Aims to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate suitable for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage.
- Actively conducting pump tests and demonstration-scale DLE trials to optimize extraction processes.