BERLIN – Rock Tech Lithium is building Europe’s first lithium converter in Guben, Brandenburg. In it, the metal is processed and refined in such a way that it can be used for battery production.
Lithium is a key element in the production of high-performance and long-lasting batteries used in electric cars, smartphones, and other devices.
The global demand for lithium is steadily increasing as more countries and companies embrace renewable energy and zero-emission mobility. But where does the valuable metal come from and how is it processed?
Most of the lithium deposits are in South America, Australia, and China. There, the metal is extracted from salt lakes or ores and converted into lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide. These compounds are then supplied to battery manufacturers, who further process them into cathode materials.
However, this process is not only lengthy and costly but also harmful to the environment. Lithium extraction consumes a lot of water and energy, generates waste products, and endangers the local ecology. In addition, the security of supply depends on political and economic factors in the producing countries.
To solve these challenges, Rock Tech Lithium has developed an innovative concept: the lithium converter. This is a modular plant that can be built directly in the vicinity of the battery factories. The converter uses patented technology to extract lithium from various sources such as spodumene concentrate, recycled material, or brine and refine it to pure lithium hydroxide.
The advantage: The converter reduces transport routes and costs, lowers energy consumption and CO2 emissions, increases the quality and safety of the end product, and enables flexible adaptation to customer needs. In this way, Rock Tech Lithium creates a sustainable and competitive alternative to conventional lithium supply.
The first European lithium converter is currently being built in Guben, Brandenburg. The plant is expected to have a capacity of 24,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year and will be operational from 2026. Rock Tech Lithium plans to supply the converter with spodumene concentrate from its own mine in Canada, which is also under construction. The company also cooperates with various partners from the battery industry in order to optimally adapt the converter to their requirements.
With the lithium converter, Rock Tech Lithium wants to make an important contribution to the energy transition and electromobility in Europe. The company sees itself as a pioneer and trailblazer for a new generation of lithium producers who not only supply raw materials but also create added value.