What is lithium and why do we need it?
Lithium is an important metal used in batteries because of its lightweight and highly conductive properties. It is used to make power cells for everyday electronic devices, including laptops and smartphones, as well as for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and grid-scale energy storage. Lithium is also a key component in battery storage systems used with solar panels and offshore wind farms.
The name lithium comes from the Greek word “lithos”, which means stone.
A history of lithium
1790s
On the Swedish isle of Utö, a Brazilian statesman named José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva discovered the first petalite, a mineral which contained lithium.
1817
Johan August Arfwedson analysed the petalite further and realised it contained a previously unknown metal, which he named lithium. However, it wasn’t until 1855 when Augustus Matthiessen, a British chemist, was able to isolate the lightest known metal.
1864
Lithium was first discovered in Cornwall when saline water from United Mines near Redruth was analysed by Professor William Allen Miller of Kings College London. In the 19th century, lithium remained a laboratory curiosity for decades after its discovery. It was used in small-scale applications such as medicine for its calming effects.
1870s
Lithium compounds were first used in psychiatric medicine, particularly in the treatment of gout and mood disorders.
1940s
Lithium's role expanded during World War II when it was used in high-temperature lubricants and in the production of aircraft parts due to its light weight.
1970s
Lithium-ion technology began to emerge. The first rechargeable lithium battery was developed by M. Stanley Whittingham, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2019.
1991
Sony commercialised the first lithium-ion battery, revolutionising portable electronics. This innovation fuelled the rapid growth of mobile phones, laptops, and other handheld devices.
2000s
Lithium became a cornerstone of renewable energy and electric vehicles, spurred by increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions. Its use in grid-scale battery systems also began to take shape. Lithium mining expanded significantly to meet growing global demand. Producers include Australia, Chile, China, and Argentina.
Today
Lithium continues to be a pivotal material in addressing climate change and advancing technological innovation.
Why Cornwall?
Lithium is the cornerstone critical mineral for the energy transition. Currently, the UK imports all of its lithium from overseas. Yet Cornwall has one of the largest lithium deposits in Europe.
This is because of the Cornubian Batholith - the large body of granite formed around 280 million years ago, that lies beneath much of Cornwall and Devon.
The granite here is rare and incredibly mineral rich, one of those minerals being lithium. Lithium can be found dissolved in geothermal brines that circulate deep underground.
Frequently asked questions
In Cornwall, lithium is found in two main forms: within mica minerals in granite rock and dissolved in geothermal fluids (brines) that flow deep underground. Cornish Lithium’s exploration focuses on both lithium in hard rock and geothermal brines.
At our Trelavour Lithium Project, we are repurposing a former china clay pit and seeking to redevelop former pits for waste storage. In relation to our geothermal projects, Cornish Lithium first recognised the presence of lithium in saline waters in Cornwall from historic records made at the time when the county had a significant mining industry. The miners frequently encountered geological faults (large naturally-occurring cracks in the earth) from which flowed significant quantities of hot saline water. Such occurrences in old mines demonstrate a much larger geological phenomenon which Cornish Lithium believes could be widespread across the county. As a result, the company is not focussing on the old mines themselves but on the geological structures which contain the circulating lithium-enriched fluids. Cornish Lithium plans to drill extraction boreholes into these fracture zones and does not therefore need to reopen old mines, or to extract water from the mines themselves. We plan to drill boreholes to extract fluids from a depth of 2,.000 metres and so will bypass old mine workings.
Lithium is our primary focus. However, as we build our knowledge of the geology, structures and mineralisation in Cornwall we are discovering areas which offer very good potential for other metals such as copper, cobalt, tin and other metals which are vital to the development of modern technologies including batteries.
Some of our mineral rights agreements give us the ability to explore for other minerals in addition to lithium and hence we are actively prioritising areas that could be of interest. Our use of advanced digital mapping and modelling techniques gives Cornish Lithium the ability to 'see' mineralisation that could be exploited using modern mining methods.
The environmental impacts depend on the extraction methods used. The process used in our geothermal lithium extraction plants can be likened to a water purification system. Mineral-rich water is pumped from approximately 2,000 metres below the surface via a borehole and passed through columns where the lithium is extracted from the water. With the lithium removed, the water is returned to the ground via a second borehole. The plant will have a footprint the size of a supermarket or medium-sized industrial unit. Direct extraction of lithium from geothermal fluids using cutting-edge technology is the most environmentally responsible method available.
Our Trelavour Lithium Project near St Dennis is repurposing a former china clay pit to produce lithium. We plan to extract lithium from hard rock in the pit and use a new process technology. This extraction method should have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to other hard rock lithium extraction processes used elsewhere in the world.
Cornish Lithium strive to ensure that the impacts of all our projects are kept to a minimum.
Cornish Lithium’s projects are expected to contribute £5 billion to the UK economy including £3.8 billion for Cornwall, over the next 25 years, supporting more than 700 long-term skilled jobs for the next generation. By creating high-quality career opportunities locally, the company aims to help retain talented people in Cornwall and strengthen the region’s workforce.
Beyond our operations, the Cornish Lithium Community Fund provides support to local clubs, charities, and community groups that are making a positive difference in our project areas.
Revitalising Cornwall’s 4,000-year mining heritage presents a unique opportunity to drive sustainable economic growth across the region. Cornish Lithium is proud to play a key role in this transformation, helping to create a thriving new industry while maintaining a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and community engagement.
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