Vulcan Energy Resources has marked another milestone at its Zero Carbon lithium project, in Germany, receiving a preliminary environmental approval (EIA) for drilling further development wells at its core Insheim licence.
The preliminary EIA approval found that the environmental impacts of the planned deep wells for geothermal energy and lithium were not significant in terms of their size, extent, and impact intensity, and therefore did not require a full EIA.
This is the third preliminary EIA approval that Vulcan has received, following two approvals in the Taro licence of the Phase 1 planned development area.
The company said in a statement on Friday that approvals were proceeding in line with Vulcan’s development plan.
A recently completed definitive feasibility study for the Phase 1 operation estimated a capital cost of €1.49-billion, up from the €700-million considered in the 2020 prefeasibility study. The study is targeting 240 000 t/y of lithium hydroxide monohydrate production, with more than 300 GWh/y of renewable power and more than 250 GWh/y of renewable heat production.