The European Commission in Berlamont Building, Brussels, Belgium
Vulcan Energy Resources and Eramet, along with Électricité de Strasbourg (ÉS), have been awarded this distinction, which will streamline their processing and funding opportunities, supporting administrative efficiency and EU-wide lithium supply diversification.
The CRMA aims to boost EU capacity for extracting, processing, and recycling strategic raw materials, ensuring reliability and reducing dependency on third-party sources. Both projects highlight advanced lithium production methods, with Vulcan's Phase One Lionheart Project in Germany focusing on geothermal heat and lithium extraction using their proprietary VULSORB sorbent. Eramet's Alsatian project in France harnesses geothermal waters from the Rhine Graben to produce decarbonated energy and lithium for the battery industry, utilizing a direct extraction method already operational in Argentina.
These recognitions underscore the European Commission's efforts to drive sustainable raw material extraction, with Vulcan's CEO, Cris Moreno, emphasizing the strategic importance of their projects for Europe's lithium value chain. Marc Kugler, CEO of Électricité de Strasbourg, highlighted the region's commitment to high-temperature geothermal projects and experience in managing geothermal resources.
The EU received 170 applications for Strategic Project status, with assessments conducted by experts covering technical, financial, ESG, and resource classification criteria. This recognition is a testament to the projects' potential to enhance lithium production, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen EU's strategic raw material supply chain.
