Cornish Lithium has announced that it has become the first company in the United Kingdom to produce lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), a key component used in electric vehicle batteries, grid-scale energy storage, and consumer electronics.
The breakthrough was achieved at a repurposed Сhina clay quarry in Cornwall, where the company used patented low-carbon processing technology to extract lithium from Cornish granite.
Founder and Executive Chairman Jeremy Wrathall called it a landmark achievement for both the company and the UK’s battery industry:
“We can test every single stage of it on an industrial scale — that’s why it is such an important day for us. Our faith in investing £10 million in this project has been vindicated.”
The milestone marks a significant advance toward establishing a domestic lithium supply chain, a critical step as the UK transitions to electric mobility and renewable energy storage.
Mining consultant James McFarlane praised the accomplishment, noting the rapid pace of development:
“The company was only founded in 2016 and began exploring the hard rock potential in St Austell in 2019. To go from that to producing LHM domestically from their own deposit is a massive milestone that deserves recognition.”
Cornish Lithium said it plans to construct a commercial-scale lithium processing and refining plant capable of producing up to 10,000 tonnes of LHM per year. The facility is expected to be operational by 2029, creating around 300 new jobs and contributing £800 million to the UK economy.
The project is seen as a cornerstone of Britain’s effort to secure critical mineral independence and reduce reliance on imported battery materials, aligning with the UK government’s net-zero and green industrial strategies.
