MINEX Forum

Tag: Imerys

  • France Takes Minority Stake in Imerys’ €1.8bn Emili Lithium Project

    France Takes Minority Stake in Imerys’ €1.8bn Emili Lithium Project

    France will invest €50 million in a minority stake in Imerys’ flagship Emili lithium project, marking a significant step in the country’s strategy to secure domestic battery raw materials.

    The investment, announced on Wednesday, will support feasibility studies ahead of a final investment decision. Production is currently targeted for 2030. Imerys CEO Alessandro Dazza said additional investors are expected to join the project as financing discussions progress.

    First unveiled in 2022, the Emili project aims to produce 34,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide annually, enough to supply batteries for around 700,000 electric vehicles each year. The project involves developing an underground lithium mine beneath an existing kaolin site in central France, alongside a dedicated processing facility.

    Imerys has revised its total project cost estimate upward to €1.8 billion from an initial €1 billion forecast. However, Dazza indicated the final capital requirement is likely to come in significantly below the updated estimate.

    While the company may not retain a majority stake once new investors enter, Dazza stated that Imerys considers itself the natural operator of the future mine.

    The production timeline was pushed back from 2028 to 2030, partly due to public debate surrounding environmental concerns. The project is widely seen as a cornerstone of France’s efforts to reduce reliance on imported lithium and strengthen Europe’s battery supply chain.

  • Imerys in Exclusive Talks to Sell Minority Stake in French Lithium Project

    Imerys in Exclusive Talks to Sell Minority Stake in French Lithium Project

    French industrial minerals company Imerys announced it is in exclusive negotiations with a potential investor to sell a minority stake in its large-scale lithium mining project in central France, a key development in Europe’s efforts to secure domestic supplies of critical materials for the energy transition.

    Chief Financial Officer Sébastien Rouge told reporters on Thursday that the company is confident a deal can be finalized by the end of January 2026, though he declined to disclose the identity of the potential investor. The update came during the presentation of Imerys’ third-quarter results.

    Imerys first revealed plans in July to seek a financial and strategic partner for the project, which aims to produce battery-grade lithium to support Europe’s fast-growing electric vehicle industry. Since then, the estimated cost of the mine and processing complex — located near Echassières in France’s Allier department — has risen from €1 billion to €1.8 billion ($2.1 billion), reflecting inflationary pressures, higher energy costs, and expanded project scope.

    Once operational, the facility is expected to become one of Europe’s largest sources of lithium, a mineral considered vital for meeting EU goals to reduce dependence on imports from China and bolster the continent’s battery manufacturing capacity.

  • Lithium Mine Project in France Designated Strategic by EU: A Boon or Burden?

    Lithium Mine Project in France Designated Strategic by EU: A Boon or Burden?

    The Imerys EMILI lithium mine project in the Allier region has been designated a “strategic project” by the European Commission. While this designation is undoubtedly positive, sparking celebrations amongst proponents, a closer look reveals a more nuanced reality.

    Securing the “strategic project” label offers several tangible benefits. Primarily, it unlocks easier access to crucial European funding, a lifeline for any ambitious mining project, especially in Europe where regulations and operating costs often outweigh those in other regions.

    The label also promises streamlined administrative procedures, providing greater predictability and efficiency in the notoriously complex world of European bureaucracy. While currently, administrative hurdles in France are already relatively manageable, this designation further strengthens the certainty for project developers.

    However, the label is not a carte blanche. The EMILI project, now under the microscope of heightened scrutiny, will be held to even stricter standards regarding environmental protection, social responsibility, and democratic engagement.

    This increased responsibility is seen by many as a necessary trade-off, ensuring that the pursuit of vital resources doesn’t come at the cost of environmental degradation or social displacement.

    The project’s impact extends far beyond local shores. In a volatile geopolitical landscape where access to critical minerals is increasingly contested, Europe’s recognition of EMILI as a strategic venture highlights the continent’s commitment to securing its own supply chains and asserting its technological sovereignty.

    For proponents, the “strategic project” designation cements the project’s role as a cornerstone of European industry and a generator of green energy solutions. They argue that the exceptional lithium deposit in the Allier region, coupled with responsible development practices, will offer a unique opportunity to generate economic growth and prosperity for both the region and the continent.

    The coming months and years will reveal whether EMILI can successfully navigate the challenges and fulfill its ambition to become a model for sustainable, ethically responsible lithium extraction in Europe.

  • European Industries Set for a “Made in Europe” Lithium Revolution

    European Industries Set for a “Made in Europe” Lithium Revolution

    Brussels, Belgium – In a bold call for industrial self-reliance, Guillaume Delacroix, Senior Vice President Performance Minerals EMEA & APAC at Imerys and Chairman of Imerys British Lithium, has spearheaded a push for more “Made in Europe” initiatives in the lithium and automotive sectors. Speaking during a high-level discussion in Brussels alongside Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné and other leaders from the battery ecosystem, Delacroix emphasized Europe’s untapped potential in the green and mobility transitions.

    Delacroix outlined a clear three-pronged strategy for enhancing Europe’s role in global value chains:

    Financial Support for a Mining Renaissance: Advocating for increased funding to revive and modernize Europe’s mining industry, a critical step towards reducing dependency on external resources.
    Local Content and Carbon Footprint Incentives: Urging the implementation of measures that promote local sourcing and environmentally responsible practices, thereby strengthening domestic supply chains.
    Regulatory Reforms Aligned with Business Needs: Calling for regulations that not only safeguard the environment but also enable industry players to innovate and compete on the global stage.

    Central to these initiatives is Imerys’ pioneering #EMILI lithium project in France, which exemplifies the company’s commitment to driving the transition towards sustainable, home-grown industrial solutions. As the world leader in specialty minerals, Imerys is poised to leverage its expertise to serve the burgeoning demands of the automotive industry and beyond.

    Delacroix’s remarks come at a pivotal time, as European nations seek to balance economic growth with the imperatives of energy independence and environmental sustainability. By fostering a robust, locally driven supply chain, Europe is positioning itself to not only meet domestic needs but also to contribute significantly to global green transitions.

    The Brussels discussion underscored a shared vision among industry leaders: a future where European innovation, supported by strategic investments and progressive regulatory frameworks, propels the continent to the forefront of the global lithium and automotive markets.

  • Imerys Expands Its European Presence in Diatomite and Perlite

    Imerys Expands Its European Presence in Diatomite and Perlite

    Imerys has completed the acquisition of Chemviron’s European diatomite and perlite assets, a subsidiary of Calgon Carbon Corporation. The deal, which follows exclusive negotiations that began in April 2024, includes facilities in France and Italy.

    The acquisition encompasses three sites employing 130 people: two diatomite extraction and processing plants in Saint-Bauzile (Ardèche) and Riom-ès-Montagnes (Cantal), France, and a perlite processing plant in Foggia (Puglia), Italy.

    This strategic acquisition strengthens Imerys’ presence in the European diatomite and perlite markets, enhancing its offerings to customers in the food, beverage, filtration, and pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, it expands Imerys’ advanced solutions portfolio, including high-permeability filtration aids for sweeteners, gelatin, and enzyme applications, along with high-performance grades for beverage filtration.

    Guillaume Delacroix, Senior Vice President, Performance Minerals EMEA & APAC at Imerys, commented, “This acquisition marks an important milestone in Imerys’ growth and investment in the future. It positions us to deliver increased value to customers in Filtration and Life Sciences, strengthening our market presence and unlocking new avenues for growth and innovation.”

  • French Government Declares Imerys Lithium Mine a Project of “Great National Importance”

    French Government Declares Imerys Lithium Mine a Project of “Great National Importance”

    The French Government has designated the planned lithium mine in the Allier department in central France as a project of “great national importance.” This project has been entrusted to the French company Imerys. The Échassièresproject in Allier, a €1 billion investment, would be the first mine opened in France in nearly 50 years. According to Imerys, the mine would enable lithium production starting in 2028, sufficient to fill 700,000 batteries annually for at least 25 years, as reported by Le Monde.

    The decision to declare the lithium mine in Allier a project of great national importance was announced by the government in Paris in the official gazette on July 7. This special status, introduced by the Green Industry Act passed in October 2023, allows industrial projects deemed significant for national sovereignty and ecological transition to benefit from acceleration measures or administrative exemptions to facilitate their development.

    As reported by the French newspaper, the Imerys “Emili” project for lithium extraction is part of France’s policy aimed at building a new national sector for strategic minerals and metals to reduce dependence on imports, primarily from China. According to the plan, lithium extraction and processing will be located in Échassières, in an underground mine within the Beauvoir quarry complex, where Imerys has been exploiting kaolinite for ceramics since 2005. Storage will be handled in Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort, approximately 15 kilometers away, and the processing plant will be in Montluçon, 49 kilometers away. Lithium transportation will be conducted underground or by train.

    Imerys plans to create 500-600 jobs and indirectly employ another thousand workers. The project, first announced in 2022, is supported by the French state and government, as well as the leading political parties in the country, including the opposition, with the exception of Unsubmissive France, which criticizes it mainly because the excavation work has been entrusted to a private company. The public debate on the lithium mine in France lasted from March to July 31, with its results to be published by the National Public Debate Commission in October, as reported by Tanjug.

  • Imerys and British Lithium to develop UK’s largest lithium deposit

    Imerys and British Lithium to develop UK’s largest lithium deposit

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    Imerys has acquired an 80% stake in British Lithium, a private company having developed a processing route to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from Cornish granite.

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][widget-SocialWidget][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][link url=”https://www.miningmetalnews.com/20230629/2752/imerys-and-british-lithium-develop-uks-largest-lithium-deposit” content_text=”News source”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]The transaction will bring together Imerys’ expertise in mining, infrastructure in Cornwall, R&D and process development capabilities, as well as its lithium mineral resources, with British Lithium’s bespoke technology and state-of-the-art lithium pilot plant, which recently produced battery-grade lithium carbonate.

    Since 2017, British Lithium has carried out drilling and exploration on Imerys-owned land in Cornwall and developed a unique process and pilot plant to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. It received financial support from Innovate UK, UK’s national innovation agency, and the Automotive Transformation Fund, a funding program to support the electrification of vehicles and their supply chains in the UK.

    Following drilling and resource definition, inferred mineral resources are estimated at 161 million tonnes at a grade of 0.54 % lithium oxide1. These resources give sufficient confidence to target a life of mine exceeding 30 years at a production rate of 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent per year, potentially enough to equip 500,000 electrical vehicles per year, by the end of the decade, meeting roughly two-thirds of Britain’s estimated battery demand by 2030 when all UK car manufacturers convert to electric vehicles.

    The partnership will benefit from Imerys’ existing mining footprint in Cornwall, its experienced teams, and solid infrastructure, as well as its lithium expertise developed through its EMILI project in France. The mine will adhere to the highest social and environmental standards and follow the IRMA Standard – the most demanding global benchmark for responsible mining.

    The transaction has been approved by the UK Government, under the National Security Investment Act protocol. This venture will reduce the UK’s and Europe’s dependence on critical raw materials imports, thus contributing to the achievement of the European and British climate change targets and the creation of the first fully integrated regional electrical vehicle value chain. The combination of this and the EMILI project in France would make Imerys the largest integrated lithium producer in Europe, representing more than 20% of the announced European lithium output by 2030.

    The project will generate new job opportunities and foster economic growth in Cornwall. It builds upon Imerys’ deep commitment to the UK and cements its position as a mainstay of the Cornish economy. Today, the Group employs 1,100 people across the UK, of which 830 are located in Cornwall, including five world-class open-pit mine sites in Cornwall and Devon. The project will also build upon British Lithium’s entrepreneurial spirit and committed team.

    “This joint venture between Imerys and British Lithium will strengthen our domestic supply of critical minerals, which is vitally important as we seek to grow the UK’s advanced manufacturing industry and help create the jobs of the future.”

    “This partnership shows again that the UK remains an attractive destination for international investment and will boost economic prosperity, support green industries, and bolster our energy security – not only in Cornwall, but right across the UK”, says Kemi Badenoch, Business and Trade Secretary in the UK.

    “This acquisition is a milestone in Imerys’ journey to becoming a key partner in the energy transition. Building on our recent investment in the EMILI Project in France, we are uniquely placed to become a leading supplier of lithium in the UK and Europe. We look forward to unlocking the joint potential of British Lithium and Imerys to make Cornwall a successful lithium hub, building on its centuries-old mining heritage”, says Alessandro Dazza CEO of Imerys.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][epic_post_tag compatible_column_notice=”” font_size=”17px”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][vc_text_separator title=”LATEST NEWS” color=”juicy_pink”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][widget-LatestPosts post_number=”4″][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][vc_text_separator title=”MOST POPULAR” color=”juicy_pink”][vc_empty_space height=”10px”][widget-popular-posts post_count=”4″][vc_empty_space][vc_wp_search title=”Search”][vc_empty_space][lvs display_like=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][distance desktop_type=”50″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][epic_block_28 compatible_column_notice=”” number_post=”6″ post_offset=”0″ first_title=”You may also like”][/epic_block_28][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][epic_hero_5 compatible_column_notice=”” hero_margin=”0″ content_filter_number_alert=”” post_offset=”0″][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section]