Today, AMG Lithium GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany, and Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen GmbH (CPG) concluded a purchase agreement for a plot of land on the premises of Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen, in Germany. On this property, AMG Lithium will build a production plant for lithium hydroxide battery-grade. The aim is to supply the European battery industry with this key raw material reliably and with short delivery routes.
Lithium hydroxide battery-grade is used to produce cathode materials that are installed in cells for lithium-ion batteries. The battery grade quality produced in this plant is characterized by an extremely low content of impurities – an essential requirement for use in battery cells.
“On the property, we will initially build a plant with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons. This is scheduled to go into operation in 2023,” says Stefan Scherer, managing director of AMG Lithium GmbH. “The size of the property is such that we will be able to increase the annual capacity to up to 100,000 tons in subsequent years by adding further modules,” Scherer added.
The availability of battery materials is the central driver for the sustainable success of the mega trends electromobility and stationary energy storage. “Therefore, Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen GmbH is very pleased about the settlement of AMG Lithium GmbH with Germany’s first lithium refinery.”
“By locating AMG, we will further strengthen our position in energy materials,” says Patrice Heine, managing director of CPG. “We are currently feeling a lot of momentum in the segment, with new battery materials or, for example, porous materials for capacitors. In the medium term, we want to bring the entire value chain for battery materials to our site – and, by truly recycling the batteries, transfer them to a sustainable circular economy.“
About the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park
With 1,200 hectares, the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park is one of the largest areas for chemical and pharmaceutical companies in Europe, including global players such as Dow, Bayer, Lanxess , Evonik, Heraeus, Clariant and ICL. Around 80 production plants and over 250 service providers employ more than 13,000 people at the site. With its modern infrastructure, developed industrial sites free of contaminated sites and comprehensive services, Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen GmbH offers competitive conditions for successful growth. In addition, the location in the dynamic economic region of Leipzig-Halle ensures proximity to competent partners from industry and science as well as a large potential of skilled workers. The profile of the chemical park is characterized by fine and specialty chemicals and pharmaceuticals in addition to inorganic basic materials such as chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen. Thanks to the large number of companies and a wide range of service providers, the chemical park can rely on stable networks. The material network also creates safe and efficient production conditions with high security of supply and the avoidance of residual materials.
Chemiepark Bitterfeld-Wolfen GmbH is a company of GELSENWASSER Group.
AMG Lithium GmbH
AMG Lithium GmbH, is a subsidiary of Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. (“AMG”), a global group of companies in critical raw materials, mineral products and highly specialized furnace systems. With approximately 3,000 employees, annual sales of approximately US$1 billion, and manufacturing facilities in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, China, Mexico, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Mozambique, as well as sales and customer service offices in Russia and Japan, AMG is at the forefront of CO2 reduction trends.
AMG Lithium is part of the AMG Clean Energy Materials division, which comprises AMG’s recycling and mining activities for lithium, vanadium and tantalum, producing materials for infrastructure and energy storage solutions while reducing the carbon footprint of suppliers and customers. Based on spodumene deposits from AMG mining operations in Brazil, AMG Lithium strives to become the preferred supplier of battery-grade lithium hydroxide and next-generation high-performance battery materials for the European battery market. Frankfurt am Main is home to the company’s headquarters and a state-of-the-art research and development laboratory for lithium-based battery materials.