Germany Out Ahead Again with Geothermal Electrical with Lithium Extraction!

In many countries around the world, Geothermal Electrical Power Stations are not only producing clean electric energy, but they are also adding mineral extraction plants. The extraction plants extract minerals from the geothermal brine before it is reinjected, using a small amount of power from the geothermal turbines. Germany intends to build 5 geothermal power plants and add to them a lithium extraction plant. This means that a constant source of lithium can be obtained without having to mine for the materials. 

Vulcan Energy Resources has been investigating the possibility of producing emission-free lithium at a project in the German Upper Rhine Valley. The company plans to pair the lithium production facility with a geothermal power project, powering the facility with zero-emission electricity.

The company said it would be possible to produce a quality lithium hydroxide chemical for batteries at the proposed facility and that it would seek to tap into the emerging European market for lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.

According to the BBC this is a new sort of gold rush for what they are calling green lithium.  France has also joined Germany in this gold rush, and their first plant will provide 10% of their national needs. Given that this particular process is linked to geothermal plants, British Columbia could become a major player in this gold rush, being on the ring of fire, we have a large amount of geothermal power potential, as you can see from the map below. 

The top right is full of locations because of the extensive oil and gas drilling in the region

Volcanic zones like British Columbia are full of geothermal resources, one only has to look at the number of hot springs that are scattered around the province. There are well over a hundred of these springs and no doubt we will continue to find more.  These hot springs indicate a good hot water source that could potentially drive a geothermal power plant that is linked to extraction plants. 

Hopefully, British Columbia will take steps soon to join this power and mining gold rush as it is both green energy and green mining combined, after all Europe's geothermal resources are not as vast as British Columbia's.

Sources:

• https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201124-how-geothermal-lithium-could-revolutionise-green-energy
• https://vul.live.irmau.com/site/PDF/b1339fdd-ae63-4b36-987d-2273f07b83d7/CorporatePresentation
• https://vul.live.irmau.com/site/PDF/b1339fdd-ae63-4b36-987d-2273f07b83d7/CorporatePresentation
• https://www.egec.org/time-to-invest-in-clean-geothermal-lithium-made-in-europe/
• https://www.cangea.ca/britishcolumbiageothermal.html