Imerys Confirms Key Locations for EMILI Lithium Project in France

Imerys Confirms Key Locations for EMILI Lithium Project in France

(IN BRIEF) Imerys, the world leader in specialty minerals for industry, has confirmed the locations for its EMILI project, aimed at lithium extraction and production for batteries. The company has chosen La Loue, in the city of Saint-Victor near Montluçon, as the site for its future conversion plant. This facility will convert mica concentrate from Beauvoir Kaolins in Echassières into lithium hydroxide, with an annual production capacity of approximately 34,000 tonnes. The project will use a logistics plan that includes transporting lithiniferous mica concentrate from Echassières to the loading station at La Fontchambert by pipeline, then shipping it by train to the La Loue conversion plant. Imerys aims to create over 1,000 jobs locally as part of its commitment to the energy transition and lithium supply for European electric vehicle battery production. A public debate on the EMILI project is scheduled to begin in March.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 29-Jan-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — IMERYS S.A. (EPA: NK), a French multinational company which specialises in the production and processing of industrial minerals, has officially announced the designated locations for its EMILI project, a key initiative focused on lithium extraction and battery production. The company has selected the city of Saint-Victor near Montluçon in the Allier department as the site for its forthcoming conversion plant. Situated on an existing industrial estate, the La Loue site is strategically positioned for the conversion of mica concentrate sourced from Beauvoir Kaolins in Echassières into lithium hydroxide.

The La Loue conversion facility is designed to have an annual production capacity of approximately 34,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide. This output will enable French and European battery manufacturing plants to equip around 700,000 electric vehicles annually.

Additionally, the project’s logistics plan has been outlined: lithiniferous mica concentrate from Echassières will be transported via a pipeline covering over 15 kilometers and loaded onto trains at La Fontchambert, situated between the cities of Saint-Bonnet-de-Rochefort and Naves. Subsequently, the material will be transported via the Gannat – Montluçon railway line to reach the La Loue conversion plant. Imerys aims to leverage existing infrastructure for logistics, which minimizes the use of trucks, aligning with the company’s commitment to environmentally and socially responsible solutions.

Imerys anticipates creating more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs in the local area, significantly contributing to the economic development of the Allier department and surrounding regions.

The EMILI project is set to undergo a public debate, scheduled to commence in March. This initiative aligns with Imerys’ overarching objective to actively participate in the energy transition and secure a reliable lithium supply for the European electric vehicle battery manufacturing industry.

“Imerys has chosen to structure an industrial sector in which all the stages – from extraction to the production of lithium for batteries – are as close together as possible. In addition to ultimately creating a local center of excellence in lithium and battery expertise, this demonstrates the Group’s determination to produce lithium that is as carbon-free as possible. The EMILI project is therefore entering a new phase in its development plan, which will continue with the forthcoming public debate. Our ambition is to bring “Made in France” lithium onto the market in 2028, thereby contributing to the energy and climate revolution that mobility will be undergoing by then. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone involved in implementing this forward-looking project: local and regional elected representatives, partners, and all the Imerys teams,” said Guillaume Delacroix, Vice-President Performance Minerals EMEA – APAC.

“The Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Regional Council and the Allier Departmental Council have been following and supporting the Emili project since its inception. Today, this new stage confirms that it will be located in the Allier-Bourbonnais region, which is good news. Tomorrow, we’re counting on the public debate to work with the local authorities and the people of Bourbonnais to fine-tune the project’s seamless integration, so that it becomes a source of shared pride,” commented Claude Riboulet, President of the Allier Departmental Council.

About Imerys
World leader in mineral specialties for industry with a turnover of 4.3 billion euros and 14,000 employees in 2022, Imerys offers functional solutions with high added value for a large number of sectors, from the industries of processes to consumer goods. The Group mobilizes its knowledge of applications, its technological expertise, and its mastery of materials sciences to offer solutions based on the valorization of its mineral resources, synthetic minerals, and formulations. These provide essential properties to its customers’ products and their performance, such as refractoriness, hardness, conductivity, opacity, durability, purity, lightness, filtration, absorption, or hydrophobicity. Imerys is part of a strong desire for responsible development, in particular, to contribute to the emergence of environmentally friendly products and processes.

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SOURCE: Imerys