Canadian lithium development firm Rock Tech Lithium has begun construction on its first lithium hydroxide conversion plant in Guben, Germany.
According to the company, the project aligns with the European Union’s strategic goals to meet 12 times the demand for lithium by 2030 while processing 40 percent of it regionally.
The plant will process lithium-bearing hard rock into battery-grade lithium hydroxide for the cathode and battery industry, which will help accelerate the EV mobility transition and facilitate battery and cell production.
“For Mercedes-Benz, the shift towards electric mobility also means a change in our supply chains,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement. “Three goals are central to us: sustainability, raw material security and localization of procurement.”
“Today's groundbreaking in Guben is therefore another milestone for Mercedes-Benz towards the sustainable production of state-of-the-art batteries. When it comes to our lithium supply here in Europe, Rock Tech will play a key role for Mercedes-Benz in the future,” Schäfer added.
The Guben Converter is the first of five converters that Rock Tech plans to build in Europe and North America. The project is expected to start operations in mid-2025 and produce qualified battery-grade lithium hydroxide from 2026.
“Our Guben Converter is spearheading the lithium refining industry in Europe,” said Dirk Harbecke, CEO of Rock Tech. “We focus on zero-waste, sustainable processing and strategic partnerships. As a Canadian-German company we are building bridges and opportunities across the Atlantic and further to Australia, the world largest global lithium spodumene producer.”
Rock Tech is a cleantech company with operations in Canada and Germany. It plans to build lithium converters at the door-step of its customers, to guarantee supply-chain transparency and just-in-time delivery, beginning with the company's facility in Guben, Germany.
