MINEX Forum

Tag: Neptune Energy

  • Neptune Energy Confirms 43 Million Tons of Lithium Resources in Germany’s Altmark Region

    Neptune Energy Confirms 43 Million Tons of Lithium Resources in Germany’s Altmark Region

    Global energy company Neptune Energy has confirmed that Germany possesses one of the world’s largest lithium resource bases, amounting to an estimated 43 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The resource is located in the Altmark region of Saxony-Anhalt, an area with a 55-year legacy of natural gas production.

    The confirmation follows an independent assessment by valuation agency Sproule ERCE, conducted under CIM/NI 43-101 standards. Neptune Energy CEO Andreas Scheck said the new assessment underscores the importance of Saxony-Anhalt in contributing to European supply chains for critical raw materials.

    “This enables us to contribute significantly to the German and European supply market for the critical raw material lithium,” Scheck noted.

    The Altmark basin, once one of Europe’s largest natural gas fields, is now emerging as a major lithium resource hub. Studies show that its Rotliegend brines are not only strongly mineralized but also highly enriched in lithium, making the area one of the largest project-based lithium resources worldwide. For comparison, South America’s Lithium Triangle holds around 50 million tons of resources.

    Shifting away from fossil fuels, Neptune is deploying direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology, which uses ion-exchange and adsorption methods to recover lithium from underground brines. Unlike open-pit mining or evaporation ponds, DLE reduces land use and environmental impact.

    In August 2025, Neptune completed its second pilot project with partner Lilac, successfully producing battery-grade lithium carbonate. A third pilot, focused on adsorption-based extraction, is currently underway. Pending permits, the company plans to develop a demonstration-scale plant as the next step toward commercial production.

    Neptune Energy currently holds the Jeetze-L production license and three exploration licenses in the Altmark region, including Milde A-L and Milde C-L (granted in 2024) and Milde B-L (granted in 2025).

  • Neptune Energy Confirms 43 Million Tons of Lithium Resources in Germany’s Altmark Region

    Neptune Energy Confirms 43 Million Tons of Lithium Resources in Germany’s Altmark Region

    Neptune Energy has confirmed lithium resources of 43 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in Germany’s Altmark region, positioning the area as one of the world’s largest project-based lithium deposits and a future cornerstone of Europe’s battery supply chain.

    The updated assessment, carried out with independent valuation agency Sproule ERCE, refines earlier estimates of 70 million tons of LCE announced by Neptune earlier this year. Despite the downward revision, the confirmed figure secures Altmark’s standing as a major resource, capable of supporting commercial extraction on a scale that could supply around 500,000 electric vehicles annually.

    “This new assessment underscores the great potential of our licence areas in Saxony-Anhalt. This enables us to contribute significantly to the German and European supply market for the critical raw material lithium,” said Andreas Scheck, CEO of Neptune Energy.

    Neptune has been testing direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology in the Altmark region since June, launching a pilot project in Steinitz using brine from existing gas wells and ion-exchange processes with its partner Lilac Solutions. A second pilot plant has since been commissioned to evaluate multiple DLE methods, and the company has already succeeded in producing battery-grade lithium carbonate.

    The company now holds three exploration licences in the Altmark – Mile A-L, Milde C-L, and Milde B-L – as well as the Jeetze-L production licence. Neptune plans to transition from pilot testing to commercial extraction in the coming years.

    Germany is ramping up efforts to secure raw material supply for its automotive sector, which hosts some of the world’s largest carmakers. Alongside Altmark, the country’s other key lithium projects include Zinnwald Lithium’s planned mine in the Ore Mountains and Lithium Energy’s work in the Upper Rhine Graben.