Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH

Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH is developing an integrated business that combines lithium extraction with renewable geothermal energy production. The company draws lithium from geothermal brines in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field, spanning the Germany-France border, and describes itself as the world's first integrated carbon neutral lithium and renewable energy business. Extraction is powered by naturally heated geothermal energy, and the process is designed to eliminate carbon emissions from extraction. Vulcan positions itself as one of the lowest-cost lithium producers globally.

At the centre of the operation is VULSORB®, a proprietary adsorption-based direct lithium extraction (DLE) process that recovers lithium from sub-surface geothermal brines. The company's lighthouse asset, the Lionheart Project, is intended to contribute to European energy and critical raw material resilience. Alongside lithium, the integrated process yields renewable geothermal electricity and heat, which are supplied to local consumers.

Output from the process is battery-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM), directed at the electric vehicle battery supply chain. Vulcan's stated aim is to decarbonise the European battery supply chain, a sector facing EU mandates for new cars to be 100% electric from 2035 and the bloc's net zero target of 2050. The company is active in Germany and France, and its shares are listed on the ASX in Australia and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE).