Northern Lithium, Kurita and Evove have announced a tripartite partnership to deliver the UK’s first commercial-scale lithium supplies using advanced membrane-based Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) by 2027.
With Evove DLE at the heart of modular plants engineered and manufactured by Kurita, Northern Lithium is aiming to commence commercial lithium production at sites in County Durham, Northeast of England, with an initial capacity of 500 tonnes per year in 2027, ramping up to 20,000+ tonnes per year by 2035.
CEO of Northern Lithium, Nick Pople, said:
“As we look to first commercial production by the end of 2027, we have real confidence in the Evove-Kurita DLE solution. Having signed the strategic partnership MOU in Tokyo last week, we have already started the detailed engineering and design phase for the commercial plants. Kurita and Evove consider processing our brine relatively simple and we look forward to the first commercial production units being installed on site in 2027”.
Photol to r: Yukihiro Iwata (Senior General Manager, Kurita Water Industries), Chris Wyres (CEO, Evove), Andrew Walker (Chief Commercial Officer, Evove), Nick Pople (CEO, Northern Lithium),
Makoto Mizuno (Corporate Officer, Kurita Water Industries), Hirohiko Ejiri (President, Kurita Water Industries) and Hideyuki Komori (Project Leader, Kurita Water Industries).
The exclusive partnership agreement for at least the first 5,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) follows extensive pump and reservoir tests and the processing of millions of litres of saline brines abstracted from Northern Lithium’s Northern Pennine Orefield catchment area, including the successful field trials of a 1:15 scale demonstration DLE unit at the company’s first site at Ludwell Farm, County Durham between January and April of 2025.
Lithium is a critical raw material in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries needed for electrical vehicles, stationary energy storage and portable devices. The partnership marks a significant energy transition milestone in the UK and Europe, as the commercial plants will be among the first to deliver secure, sustainable local lithium supplies to domestic and regional markets, providing significant environmental and economic benefits, as well as reducing exposure to volatile global supply chains.
Forecast that UK alone could need in excess of 80,000 tonnes of LCE per annum by 2035
It is forecast that the UK alone could need in excess of 80,000 tonnes of LCE per annum by 2035, with Northern Lithium potentially capable of supplying 25% of that domestic demand requirement.
In addition, a major driver for domestic and regional lithium supply are the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s (TCA) rules of origin. These require electric vehicles to have a proportion of their value originated in the UK or EU to avoid a 10% tariff. Coming into play from January 1, 2027, these rules are incentivising investment in UK and EU battery manufacturing and supply chains, directly impacting demand for regionally sourced lithium.
Having established the commercial viability of lithium extraction in the Northeast of England, Northern Lithium is now launching the next steps towards commercial lithium production from its Northern Pennine Orefield brines.
Using Evove’s DLE advanced membrane-based technology, already established as one of the more promising solutions in the world for this greener and more efficient method of extracting lithium from brines, Kurita’s water process engineering and manufacturing capabilities will deliver modular and scalable DLE plants. The production plants will be housed in large agricultural style sheds, from which the lithium depleted brines are then injected back into the below-ground aquifer.
Evove’s CEO, Chris Wyres said:
“Northern Lithium has trusted in our DLE technology from the outset and has been able to move forward to commercial production faster than we typically see globally.
“Being able to process the Northern Lithium brines extensively at the Evove DLE Test Centre, just a two-hour drive from site, has accelerated progress, leapfrogging several other lithium production projects we are involved in across the UK, EU and North America”.
Kurita’s renowned expertise in water treatment adds a further dimension to the project. The Kurita Group, conducting business globally, has over 75 years of experience in water treatment solutions for advanced industries, including semiconductor manufacturers around the world.
International partnership will accelerate commercialization of a lithium extraction plant
Makoto Mizuno, Executive General Manager of Kurita’s Innovation Division, said:
“We are truly thrilled to have forged an international partnership that will accelerate the commercialization of a lithium extraction plant powered by Evove’s groundbreaking DLE technology.
“This project represents a fusion of our decades of expertise in advanced water treatment with the cutting-edge innovations and deep knowledge of Evove and Northern Lithium. Together, Kurita is creating a transformative solution that delivers both exceptional efficiency and a significant reduction in environmental impact. By combining the strengths of all three companies, we aim to establish a sustainable resource supply system that will play a significant role in realizing a carbon-neutral society.”
Established in 2017, Northern Lithium is a privately-owned innovative critical minerals development company, based in County Durham, North East of England, focused on delivering a secure a UK/European domestic/regional supply of lithium for the electric vehicle and power storage industries, using sustainable extraction and production techniques.
With up to 45 years’ exclusive development, appraisal and production rights covering mineral rights owned by the Church Commissioners for England, across circa. 240 sq kms (60,000 acres), of the North Pennine Orefield, Northern Lithium has secured one of the largest exclusive mineral leases currently in the UK.
Evove deploys advanced technology to reduce the cost and environmental impact of the filtration and separation of fluids in lithium, data centres and food & beverage production, as well as in desalination and the treatment of industrial water.
Founded in 1949 in Japan in 1949, Kurita Water Industries Ltd. is headquartered in the Kurita Group, which encompasses over 60 companies across Japan, Asia, EMEA including the UK, and North and South America to conduct the business globally, and has R&D bases in Japan, Germany, the United States, and Singapore.
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