Vulcan Energy Resources has officially commenced commercial-scale production of its proprietary VULSORB lithium extraction adsorbent in Germany, marking a significant milestone in the lithium extraction industry. This innovative material, designed to capture lithium from brine, will supply the initial fill for lithium extraction columns ahead of the commissioning of Project Lionheart, scheduled for the second half of 2028.
The VULSORB adsorbent is integral to the Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) process, which has undergone extensive laboratory and industrial testing over the past several years. During these trials, VULSORB demonstrated an impressive lithium extraction efficiency of up to 95% across thousands of operating cycles. Cris Moreno, Vulcan’s managing director and CEO, expressed enthusiasm over this achievement, highlighting its importance in de-risking the technology, supply chain, and execution for the Lionheart Project, which is poised to be Vulcan’s first commercial lithium production site.
Located in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field along the German-French border, Project Lionheart aims to produce 24,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of lithium hydroxide monohydrate, sufficient to power approximately 500,000 electric vehicle batteries. The VULSORB adsorbent, based on an aluminate formulation, is one of the few A-DLE technologies with Western intellectual property and a supply chain that is exclusively outside of China. This is particularly significant given China’s recent prioritisation of export controls and licensing arrangements on A-DLE technology since early 2025.
The decision to scale up production follows three years of successful trials with European toll manufacturers, which resulted in the production of high-purity lithium chloride and battery-grade lithium hydroxide at demonstration plants. Vulcan Energy plans to continue manufacturing VULSORB over the next 18 to 24 months in preparation for the commissioning of Project Lionheart and potential future applications through its VULTEC technology division. Additionally, VULSORB may be offered to third parties via licensing agreements, further expanding its market reach and impact on the lithium extraction landscape.
