Cornwall aims for European leadership in lithium production
GEL hits a significant milestone in sustainable lithium carbonate production
Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL), headquartered in Cornwall, has announced a significant technological breakthrough in lithium production.
The company has successfully exceeded the 99.3% purity specification for lithium carbonate, classifying it as 'technical grade.'
This achievement marks the first time lithium carbonate with such a high level of purity has been produced commercially in Europe.
The breakthrough, announced on 2nd September 2026, allows GEL to supply battery manufacturers directly without further refinement.
The UK Government has set ambitious mineral demand targets, aiming for 10% of these needs to be met domestically by 2035.
GEL's plant at United Downs is expected to produce 100 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually, with production projected to grow to 2,000 tonnes per year by 2029, with further increases from additional sites.
Production methods have also been recognised for their environmental sustainability, as GEL utilises geothermal electricity production.
Julian Hetherington MBE, Director of Automotive Transformation at the APC, expressed positive views on this announcement, "United Downs shows the huge opportunity the UK has to build a domestic supply of lithium carbonate in a sustainable way."
Dr Ryan Law, CEO of GEL, emphasised the importance of this achievement, stating, "Producing lithium carbonate that exceeds the purity specification for Technical Grade material is a major milestone for GEL and an important validation of our technology."
The international market values technical grade lithium carbonate highly, with a reference price of approximately $22,000 per tonne as of August 2026.
With its launch of production in February 2026, GEL is positioning itself as a leader in Europe's lithium market.