In a historic move for European industry, a mining operation in Western Finland has officially begun production, becoming the first in Europe to establish a complete, in-house chain for manufacturing battery-grade lithium. The long-anticipated project, spearheaded by the mining firm Keliber, was inaugurated this week at the Syväjärvi open pit mine in Kaustinen, where guests and reporters witnessed the first blasts of spodumene-bearing rock in bitterly cold weather.
The development establishes a unique industrial ecosystem spanning three municipalities: Kaustinen, Kokkola, and Kronoby. The process will see ore crushed at a nearby enrichment plant in Päiväneva before being transported a short distance to a chemical facility in Kokkola. There, it will be refined into lithium hydroxide for sale directly to battery manufacturers, creating a supply chain unparalleled on the European continent. This integrated model stands in stark contrast to other European nations with lithium resources, such as Portugal, which currently exports raw ore and concentrate without domestic refining capabilities.
The project represents a total investment of approximately €800 million and is expected to generate around 350 jobs in the region. The main mining areas of Syväjärvi and Rapasaari are estimated to contain sufficient resources for 18 years of extraction, with the company actively prospecting for additional deposits and planning to open a total of seven mining sites in the area.
This industrial breakthrough addresses a critical strategic goal for Europe: reducing its heavy reliance on lithium imports from China, which dominates the global refining market. With lithium hydroxide essential for the batteries powering electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage systems, establishing a domestic source is considered a vital step for the continent’s green transition and economic security.
The journey to production spanned decades, originating from a local farmer’s discovery over 60 years ago and culminating in 25 years of development by Keliber. The project faced significant financial hurdles, with funding finally secured in late 2022 through a major investment from the South African firm Sibanye-Stillwater, which now holds an 80 percent stake in Keliber. The remaining 20 percent is owned by Finnish Minerals Group, a state-owned enterprise.
While the global price of lithium has experienced sharp volatility since that investment, dropping significantly before a recent partial rebound, Keliber’s officials confirmed at the inauguration that the operation is positioned to be profitable. They emphasized that the shorter delivery distance to European customers compared to transoceanic shipments from China provides a crucial competitive advantage. The Päiväneva concentrator is scheduled to begin operations this spring, with the Kokkola chemical plant set to follow towards the end of the year.
Source: Finland opens Europe's first lithium mine https://yle.fi/a/74-20209826
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου