UK's largest lithium extraction facility to be built in County Durham

Construction of the UK's largest lithium extraction facility in County Durham will go ahead following approval of the project by councillors.

Weardale Lithium will extract battery-grade lithium carbonate from geothermal groundwaters at a site left dormant for more than two decades since the Eastgate cement works closed down.

It is expected to create between 20 and 50 jobs, and the lithium it will produce is seen as pivotal to the UK's net zero goals

Stewart Dickson, CEO of Weardale Lithium, said: "This is a significant milestone for Weardale Lithium and the UK's electrification ambitions. The project aligns with the UK Government's Critical Minerals Strategy and Battery Strategy, which recognises lithium as essential to the energy transition and meeting increasing demand for battery-grade lithium carbonate from the growth of electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems."

He added: "This planning approval for the UK's largest lithium extraction plant is a notable step to establishing a robust, long-term and economically viable supply chain of critical minerals. The North East is well placed to be a centre of growing domestic lithium production capability as the region has all the requisite enablers to deliver our borehole to battery strategy."

"With planning approval granted, we can now move forward and scale-up confidently producing battery-grade lithium carbonate on site using a proven end-to-end process. This will make a significant contribution to the transition of the UK towards a carbon-zero economy."

The application was revised following feedback from consultation responses and adjustments to the operational layout, reports Chronicle Live. It now proposes temporary development with permanent planning permission sought for pipeline routes.

Below ground structures are to remain and will need additional consent for future use. The duration of the development has been changed from permanent to a 15-year term for the pilot plant. In December 2024, it was confirmed that all above-ground structures would be dismantled at the end of the development period.

It is hoped the project will create a local partnership between Weardale Lithium and a similar local company, Northern Lithium. Nick Pople, Northern Lithium's managing director, said: "The two companies are not in competition with each other and conversations have already begun about how we might collaborate going forward to ensure we can accelerate the delivery of a secure, sustainable, domestic supply of lithium at scale from the North East region."