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EU designates two new geothermal lithium projects as strategic

EU designates two new geothermal lithium projects as strategic

Rule Changes

Alsace and Altmark projects join a second wave of 46 critical minerals projects with fast-track permits and EU funding access

October 9th, 2026: Arverne announces Lithium de France strategic designation

Overview

Updated Oct 29

The European Commission has added two geothermal lithium projects to its list of Strategic Projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act, a 2024 EU law that sets domestic sourcing targets and offers faster permits and EU funding. One is Lithium de France's site in Alsace. The other is Neptune Energy's Altmark project in Germany, which pulls lithium from brine at existing gas wells.

At Altmark, technology supplier Lilac reported a pilot that turned gas-well brine into battery-grade lithium carbonate on site, results Neptune says will feed engineering studies for a larger plant. Neptune is also running its own second pilot phase and targets up to 25,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent a year by 2030. Arverne, the parent of Lithium de France, targets first output in 2028 and plans to close senior debt in 2027.

Why it matters

If geothermal brine lithium scales, Europe gains domestic battery-metal supply with minimal environmental disruption — and a model for other regions.

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Key Indicators

46
Strategic projects in second wave
Selected from 171 applications submitted to the European Commission.
27,000 t/yr
Lithium de France annual output target
Battery-grade lithium carbonate in Alsace, with co-produced geothermal heat.
25,000 t/yr
Altmark annual output target
Neptune project aims for this by 2030 from existing gas field brine.
43 Mt
Altmark lithium resource
Lithium carbonate equivalent estimated in brine at the Altmark gas field in Germany.
10%
EU domestic extraction target by 2030
Share of EU annual consumption of strategic raw materials to be extracted at home.

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Organizations Involved

Arverne Group
Arverne Group
French geothermal energy company
Parent of Lithium de France; project designated Strategic under CRMA

French geothermal company whose subsidiary Lithium de France aims to produce 27,000 tonnes of lithium annually over 30 years with 2 TWh of renewable heat.
Neptune Energy
Neptune Energy
German energy company
In Pilot Phase II at Altmark; a partner pilot with Lilac produced battery-grade lithium carbonate

Developer of the Altmark Lithium Extraction project, targeting up to 25,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent annually by 2030.
European Commission
European Commission
EU executive body
Implementing Critical Raw Materials Act; designating strategic mineral projects

Selects strategic mineral projects under the Critical Raw Materials Act to secure EU supply of critical materials.
Lilac
Lilac
Direct lithium extraction technology company
Completed a lithium pilot at Neptune Energy's Altmark site

Supplies ion-exchange technology for extracting lithium from brine, including a pilot at Neptune's Altmark gas field.

Timeline

May 2024 October 2026

6 events Latest: October 9th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Arverne announces Lithium de France strategic designation

    Latest Announcement

    Arverne Group confirms its Alsace project named Strategic Project under the Critical Raw Materials Act, targeting production in 2028.

  2. Second wave of 46 projects includes two new geothermal lithium projects

    Policy

    European Commission classifies Lithium de France (Alsace) and Neptune's Altmark project as Strategic Projects, adding to Vulcan and Eramet. The announcement was made October 9; reporting followed over the next days.

  3. Neptune starts second lithium pilot phase

    Announcement

    Neptune Energy began Pilot Phase II at Altmark to optimize the adsorption process used in its direct lithium extraction.

  4. Lilac pilot makes battery-grade lithium carbonate at Altmark

    Milestone

    Lilac said its ion-exchange pilot at Neptune's Altmark facility processed brine from existing gas wells into battery-grade lithium carbonate on site; the results will support Neptune's engineering studies.

  5. First 47 strategic projects adopted

    Policy

    First selection round includes geothermal lithium projects from Vulcan Energy in Germany and Eramet in France.

  6. Critical Raw Materials Act enters into force

    Policy

    EU law takes effect setting 2030 targets: 10% domestic extraction, 40% processing, 25% recycling of strategic raw materials.

Scenarios

1

Lithium de France reaches commercial production by 2028

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Arverne Group company guidance

Arverne targets first lithium carbonate in 2028. The path depends on finishing bankable engineering, obtaining final permits, and closing a senior debt tranche planned for 2027. Arverne has already drilled and tested its first well and holds a €33 million convertible facility with Equinor Ventures backing.

2

Altmark project scales to commercial lithium output by 2030

Possible Resolves by End of 2030

Discussed by: Neptune Energy pilot program disclosures

Neptune runs Pilot Phase II to optimize its adsorption process for direct lithium extraction. The Altmark deposit holds an estimated 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent. Hitting 25,000 tonnes annually by 2030 would cover the lithium needs of roughly 500,000 electric vehicles a year.

3

Financing or performance gaps stall geothermal lithium projects

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: Euromining News analysis of unproven commercial-scale performance

Strategic status improves financing access but doesn't commit capital. Arverne still must convert senior-debt talks into committed funding. If imported lithium prices stay low, extraction efficiency disappoints at scale, or brine chemistry shifts, one or both projects could slip past their targets.

4

Neptune commits to a demonstration-scale plant at Altmark

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Neptune Energy project disclosures

Neptune says the pilot results will feed engineering studies as it moves toward demonstration-scale operations. A firm commitment would take the project beyond pilot testing and toward the 25,000-tonne target it has set for 2030.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2010 – 2015

China rare earth export restrictions (2010)

China, then supplying over 90% of the world's rare earths, cut export quotas to Japan after a territorial dispute. Prices for some elements rose tenfold within months, exposing how vulnerable importers were.

Then

The US, EU and Japan scrambled for alternative suppliers and filed a WTO complaint; China later eased the quotas.

Now

The episode triggered a global wave of critical-minerals diversification programs, including the EU's raw-materials strategy.

Why this matters now

The 2010 scare is why the EU now treats lithium as a strategic raw material — import dependence drives the CRMA's targets and fast-track designations.

2023

European Chips Act (2023)

The EU committed €43 billion to raise its share of global semiconductor production to 20% by 2030, using subsidies, fast-tracked permits, and coordinated national funding.

Then

Drew investment announcements from Intel and TSMC for European factories.

Now

Became the template for the Critical Raw Materials Act's strategic-project approach.

Why this matters now

The same toolkit — strategic prioritization, faster permits, public funding access — is now applied to critical minerals, with geothermal lithium among the first beneficiaries.

Sources

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ThinkGeoEnergy European Commission Balkan Green Energy News Europe Mining News Neptune Energy Finanzwire European Commission press release Euromines Gulf Oil & Gas Arverne Group European Commission European Commission ThinkGeoEnergy Neptune Energy