Vulcan Energy has commenced the first commercial-scale manufacturing of its proprietary lithium extraction adsorbent, VULSORB, in Germany, marking a major de-risking milestone ahead of its Project Lionheart commissioning in the second half of 2028.
The production will supply Project Lionheart and follows years of technology development and validation through extensive laboratory testing to operation at industrial demonstration scale.
The aluminate-based adsorbent is central to Vulcan’s Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) technology, designed to selectively capture lithium from naturally heated geothermal brines.
Validated across thousands of operating cycles at industrial demonstration scale, VULSORB has achieved up to 95 per cent extraction efficiency while producing battery-grade lithium hydroxide.
Production of the initial fill volumes for the A-DLE extraction columns will be carried out over the next 18 to 24 months in collaboration with European toll manufacturing partners.
The move offers Vulcan a significant geopolitical advantage. While global A-DLE technology remains heavily dependent on Chinese supply chains, VULSORB provides a bankable alternative supported entirely by Western intellectual property and ex-China manufacturing, an increasingly critical factor following China’s imposition of strict export controls on A-DLE technology in early 2025.
“This represents a significant technology, supply chain and execution de-risking achievement for the Lionheart Project ahead of first commercial lithium production,” said Vulcan Managing Director and CEO Cris Moreno.
“At a time when access to critical mineral technologies is becoming increasingly strategic, this provides Vulcan with greater supply chain security, reduced geopolitical risk and enhanced project execution certainty.”
Located across the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field spanning Germany and France, Project Lionheart is designed to produce 24,000 tonnes per annum of lithium hydroxide monohydrate, enough for roughly 500,000 electric vehicles, alongside 275 GWh of renewable power and 560 GWh of heat annually over a 30-year operational life.
Beyond Lionheart, Vulcan plans to deploy VULSORB across additional growth assets like Project Ludwig, while also selectively licensing the technology globally via its VULTEC technology division.
