EMILI project to help create an independent European industry
Development of this lithium extraction project at the Beauvoir site will contribute to reducing Europe’s current total dependence on imported lithium, and more broadly to development of an integrated, independent battery production sector, in accordance with European environmental and social standards.
This project has been strategically supported by more than one million euros from Bpifrance in 2020 through France Relance.
This project echoes Imerys’ commitment to the European Raw Materials Alliance, which aims to strengthen Europe’s resilience by, among other things, diversifying its supplies and developing its own capabilities in extraction, processing, separation and recycling of critical minerals. The alliance specifically focuses on the most pressing needs, namely increasing the EU's resilience in the supply chains of rare earth magnets and motors, batteries and fuel cells.
The launch of the first lithium mine in France is a historic step for the nation’s industry. Imerys' production will address more than a quarter of future French gigafactories needs, with a significantly reduced carbon footprint compared to non-European competitors thanks to our country's low-carbon electricity. This project, which we support within the framework of the France 2030 plan, is part of the government’s industrial strategy, which aims to establish the entire battery value chain in France, from basic materials to recycling. It demonstrates that the ecological transition is also a driver for deindustrialization.
