Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL; Redruth, Cornwall, U.K.) has announced a major technological milestone in the production of lithium onshore in the U.K.
In a European first, independent analysis has shown that GEL’s lithium carbonate produced from deep geothermal brine now exceeds the 99.3% purity specification and can be classified as “technical grade” material. This means that it meets the purity requirements for battery producers and provides GEL with a direct route to market, as the lithium carbonate does not have to be further refined before onward sale.
The Government has set a target of meeting 10% of the U.K.’s critical mineral demands from domestic production by 2035, including at least 50,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate. GEL will play a vital role in meeting this target as it continues its expansion plans. Production at the United Downs site is forecast to reach around 2,000 metric tons per annum by 2029. As other sites are added, total anticipated production from GEL will increase to 30,000 metric tons per annum by 2033, meeting over 60% of the U.K.’s lithium target alone.
Meeting this internationally recognized specification represents a significant step forward for GEL, demonstrating the company’s ability to produce high-purity lithium carbonate at commercial scale and bringing the U.K. one step closer to establishing a domestic supply of battery-critical lithium materials. Recent benchmarking studies have also ranked the lithium produced through GEL’s proprietary methods as one of the most sustainable on the planet, owing to the combination of lithium production with geothermal electricity generation.
Julian Hetherington MBE, Director of Automotive Transformation at the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (Coventry, U.K.), delivering the U.K. government’s Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification programme, DRIVE35, welcomed the announcement: “United Downs shows the huge opportunity the U.K. has to build a domestic supply of lithium carbonate in a sustainable way. It will strengthen the U.K.’s critical minerals supply chain and reindustrialize the country. DRIVE35 is proud to have supported the project with a £1.8 million grant through our Automotive Transformation Fund, to help reach this important milestone. We look forward to continuing to work with GEL as it scales production across the U.K.”
Dr. Ryan Law, CEO of GEL (Redruth, Cornwall, U.K.), said: “Producing lithium carbonate that exceeds the purity specification for Technical Grade material is a major milestone for GEL and an important validation of our technology. We are demonstrating that it is possible to produce a high-quality, saleable lithium product in the U.K. with the highest environmental standards, creating the potential for a more secure and sustainable domestic supply of this critical battery material. This achievement marks an important step in our journey from pioneering technological development to large-scale production.”
Technical Grade lithium carbonate is traded internationally, including through markets such as the Shanghai Metals Market. As of August 20, 2026, the reference price was approximately $22,000 per metric ton. Following the commencement of production in February 2026, the GEL plant has a production capacity of 100 metric tons of lithium carbonate per annum and aims to establish a leading position in Europe’s emerging lithium industry.