Plannned geothermal lithium extraction, Puy-de-Dome, France

Puy-de-Dome, Auvergne, France (source: Flickr/ Mikel Ortega, creative commons)

In Riom, Puy-de-Dome in Central France, French developer Fonroche Geothermie plans to exploit the lithium contained in the waters of the Limagne subsoil. As part of a planned geothermal power plant project in the region, Fonroche is now looking to take advantage of the plant to extract lithium from geothermal brine.

A few decades ago, drilling was carried out in Limagne to search for oil, now clearly times have changed.  Now, Fonroche plans to harness heat from a geothermal resource for electricity and heat production at the  European business park in Riom.

A power station in 2025?

By capturing water at an estimated temperature of 180 or 200 degrees, this installation could produce some five MW. This case is being investigated at the level of the State services. If all goes for the best, drilling could take place in 2023 and the plant could come into service in 2025.

This ambition has since doubled by a second: as long as we already have a borehole, why not extract and produce lithium from the brine that is geothermal water?

At the crossroads of several interests

Today, this resource is conveniently at the crossroads of economic, technical, strategic and environmental interests which make believe in its future (see opposite) and which arouse the interest of the markets. “We have pushed further studies on the potential of the Massif Central. There are indications of the presence of lithium in the geothermal waters of Auvergne”, explains Jean-Philippe Soulé, director of Fonroche Géothermie.

The borehole at Croix-de-Neyrat / Les Vergnes, in Clermont-Ferrand, gives a particular indication: lithium at 81 mg per liter is found there. “This is probably a pessimistic value. There may be a greater concentration which makes its extraction interesting,” continues the entrepreneur.

Research on 707 km² and 85 municipalities

For the moment, the company does not plan to exploit the other brine products which are boron, manganese, strontium, cesium, rubidium or zinc. The perimeter included in the exclusive exploration permit filed by Fonroche geothermal energy is quite large: it covers 707 km² and is spread over the territory of 85 municipalities. It includes Clermont-Ferrand to the south and Combronde to the north.

However, the company has only plans to drill in one location and that is at Riom. The company is considering an investment of around EUR 12 million for this project. “Through this considerable financial effort, Fonroche wishes to demonstrate its involvement in mineral development associated with geothermal energy.”

A strategic interest?

Fonroche géothermie had not considered extracting lithium from geothermal waters when the company submitted its file for the geothermal power plant. “The need for a clean lithium produced in Europe appeared in 2018. And it is becoming a strategic national issue because the global resource is managed 90% by the Chinese. In the age of batteries and green mobility, if there is a problem in the supply chain, we would end up on foot “, explains Jean-Philippe Soulé, director of Fonroche géothermie.

Source: La Montagne, some additional information on  the project