Li-Metal Completes Study for Groundbreaking 1,000-Tonne Lithium Metal Plant
Li-Metal Corp., at the forefront of lithium metal anode and production technology development, has successfully concluded a concept study for a pioneering lithium metal production facility in North America. This facility is set to boast an annual capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes.
Study Highlights:
- Competitive Capital Expenditures (CAPEX): The study projects a total CAPEX of USD 109 million to reach full capacity, with an average production estimate of 1,000 tonnes per year. These figures are consistent with Li-Metal's expectations, including a detailed breakdown of indirect costs and a contingency plan. The CAPEX accuracy range is estimated between -25% and +50%.
- Operating Cost Advantages: Operating costs for converting carbonate to lithium metal are expected to be competitively low, up to USD 31 per Kg, including leasing costs for a brownfield site, notably lower than traditional methods.
- Raw Material Insights: The plant would require roughly 5,600 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually. Discussions are underway with IRA-compliant carbonate producers and battery manufacturers to establish partnerships for scaling the C2M technology.
Li-Metal's study, conducted by a globally recognized engineering and professional services firm, validates the feasibility of its carbonate-to-metal (C2M) lithium metal technology in a commercial setting. The study underscores the technology's potential for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and eliminating harmful chlorine gas by-products.
CEO Srini Godavarthy expressed optimism about the study's results, highlighting the technology's sustainability and the company's commitment to advancing commercialization efforts. Li-Metal is actively exploring partnerships and site locations in North America to bring this vision to fruition.
The global demand for lithium metal, primarily used in next-generation batteries, is expected to surge, with projections indicating a need for between 21,000 to 40,000 tonnes per year by 2030.
