County Durham lithium extraction firm reaches ‘key milestone’
Northern Lithium has announced the successful conclusion of pumping tests and extraction trials from brines under the Northern Pennine Orefield.
Lithium is a critical raw material in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries and the latest milestone is “good news for economic growth and creating jobs,” said the MP for the area
Nick Pople, managing director of Northern Lithium, said: “The results of these recent trials are a great step forward for our unique partnership established to deliver a secure, sustainable supply of lithium for the UK.”
The firm says a detailed analysis of data collected during the 60-day pump testing period has “confirmed and strengthened” the results of initial 30-day tests in 2024.
In a UK first, demonstration-scale trials of Evove’s direct lithium extraction technology “proved successful, meeting critical production KPIs”, including lithium recovery rates and product purity levels.
The testing includes work at 1:15 scale Direct Lithium Extraction DLE plant designed, constructed, installed and operated at Ludwell Farm, near Stanhope in County Durham by Evove and another partner, RSE
The project is believed to be one of only a handful concluded at this scale worldwide outside China.
Evove gathered trial data to support the development of several process efficiency improvements, including technology that can eliminate almost all impurities at the beginning of the direct lithium extraction process.
Based on modelling from 78 million data points generated through the treatment of 3.5 million litres of brine from Northern Lithium, Evove – which is working on the project with Northern Lithium – reports a potential commercial end-to-end lithium recovery rate of up to 92 per cent, exceeding the original project target of 80 per cent.
A purity of lithium chloride/sulphate product of up to 96.5 per cent was achieved.
This high level of purity simplifies the conversion process to lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide products, used in electrical batteries.
Mr Pople said: “We have made considerable progress over the past year and are pleased that our recent long term pump tests and demo scale direct lithium extraction trials have provided further proof of concept on our targeted path to first commercial production of lithium by the end of 2027.”
Chris Wyres, CEO of direct lithium extraction technology firm Evove, said: “We are delighted that Evove’s advanced filtration technology is helping bring the Northern Lithium project to commercial reality.”
Northern Lithium and Evove will now proceed with detailed design engineering for the first fully functioning commercial scale direct lithium extraction production unit, with operation targeted for the end of 2027.
In parallel, samples of lithium product produced from the recent trials will be used in discussions with potential off-take partners.
Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland, said: “Northern Lithium’s continued progress towards commercial production and delivery of a domestic supply of lithium at scale, is good news for economic growth and creating jobs in an area that has suffered from de-industrialisation.”
In September 2024, the company set out to raise up to £6 million to fund its operations and next stage development programme through to the end of the first quarter of 2026, aiming to raise an initial tranche of up to £2 million to fund activities in the first half of 2025.
This tranche was closed at £3.45 million in the first quarter of 2025, ahead of the 60-day pump tests and demo scale direct lithium extraction trials.
Mr Pople added: “The success of our fundraising to date reflects not just confidence in the progress we are making at Northern Lithium, but also a growing acceptance that the UK needs to develop its own secure and sustainable domestic lithium supply.”
The new funding will be deployed through the rest of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 to cover an additional drilling programme, along with the preparation and submission of full planning and permitting applications in readiness for the next phase of commercial development work in 2026 and 2027.