Infinity’s Spanish lithium play secures EU recognition

Infinity Lithium’s San José project in western Spain has been recognised as a potential cornerstone component of the European Battery Alliance’s, or “EBA”, goal of creating an integrated lithium-ion supply chain within the European Union.

The EBA will facilitate discussions with other industry participants as part of their “battery mining belt” initiative and help the company assess opportunities to attract other industry participants to the Extremadura region where the project is located.

EBA Program Director Thore Sekkenes previously said that it was critical to develop lithium extraction and refining capacity in Europe.

He also pointed to San José as a project that could help the European battery and automotive sector to become more integrated and regionalised by providing a domestic source of lithium chemicals.

Meanwhile, the European Investment Bank has also flagged the potential to include more battery raw materials and mining projects in their lending policies.

This is aimed at supporting the anticipated increase in European demand for lithium-ion batteries to 400 gigawatt hours by 2025.

Infinity is planning an integrated project at San José, where it will mine, process and refine lithium chemicals on-site in Spain.

The project has a JORC-compliant mineral resource of 111.3 million tonnes grading 0.61% lithium oxide and 206 parts per million tin.

Whilst the lithium is contained within comparatively lower grade “mica” mineralisation, a commercial gas pipeline that runs past the project’s front door provides the company with a ready source of energy to roast the ores, from which it can make the valuable, refined lithium hydroxide products.