On the 24th of October, Imerys announced the intention to extract lithium from Beauvoir’s site.
EMILI : Beauvoir Lithium Mining Project
Supporting the energy transition
Imerys has launched a lithium mining project at its Beauvoir site in Echassières (Allier, France). This project contributes to to the dual challenge of the energy transition and Europe’s economic independence. It will contribute to creating an integrated European battery industry for electric vehicles by offering a local solution for one of the most critical materials required, lithium.
EMILI (Exploitation de MIca Lithinifère par Imerys) is one of the largest lithium extraction projects in Europe, which would offer a long-term solution and meet Europe's decarbonization goals.
Imerys intends to design this project in an environmentally -friendly manner, in consultation with all stakeholders, and aligning with the IRMA benchmark, the international reference certification for responsible mining.
Key figures
Middle of the 19th century
Start of kaolin mining at the Beauvoir site
2028
Planned entry into production of the site
700 000
Electric vehicles equipped each year thanks to the production of lithium in Beauvoir
I congratulate Imerys on launching the first low-carbon lithium operation in France. This project, which is exemplary from an environmental and climate perspective, will significantly reduce our need to import lithium and enable us to produce nearly 700,000 electric vehicle batteries per year. It will contribute to the objective set by the President of the Republic to produce 2 million electric vehicles in France by 2030 and will be supported by the Government.
Bruno Le Maire
Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty
Latest news
December 16, 2022
[LinkedIn] Pascal Canfin, Member of the European Parliament and President of the Committee for the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, reflects on the European law on sustainable batteries.
December 2, 2022
Almost eight hundred people attended the first discussions around the EMILI project, held in communities surrounding the Beauvoir site.
November 15, 2022
Regional representatives of the Europe Écologie Les Verts visited Échassières to engage in discussion with the EMILI lithium mining project team.
