A project to build the UK’s largest lithium extraction facility has taken a step forward, thanks to an historic grant.
Business Durham, the business support service for Durham County Council, has awarded £500,000 to Weardale Lithium from the authority’s Eastgate Regeneration and Infrastructure Catalyst Fund.
The Eastgate Regeneration and Infrastructure Catalyst Fund was historically earmarked to redevelop the former cement works at Eastgate, in Weardale, which closed over 20 years ago.
Last year, Weardale Lithium was granted planning permission to bring the site back into use. The facility will produce battery-grade lithium carbonate by extracting lithium from geothermal groundwaters.
The funding will allow Weardale Lithium to carry out preparatory works for the facility, which is expected to produce at least 12,000 tonnes per annum and create around 125 jobs when the plant is at full scale.
Cllr Kyle Genner, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, environment and police relations, said: “In January this year we put an important line in the sand by becoming the first county council in the country to declare its commitment to local reindustrialisation. We see that as being key to unlocking the future prosperity of, and opportunity for, County Durham and our people, and so it is a commitment we take incredibly seriously.
“The Eastgate Regeneration and Infrastructure Catalyst Fund has been earmarked for the former cement works for almost two decades, so it is great to see it finally being used to bring this site back to economic life. This new facility will not only give this disused site new purpose, but create secure, local job opportunities for the people of Weardale and the wider county.
“We are therefore extremely pleased to support this scheme which will help provide impetus for this burgeoning new industry at the heart of Weardale. It is a great step in the right direction for the county, and there’s much more to come.”
Stewart Dickson, CEO of Weardale Lithium, said: “This funding is an important step forward in our plans to establish commercial lithium production at Eastgate, and we are grateful to Durham County Council and its Business Durham service for their continued support and commitment to the project.
“The redevelopment of this brownfield site represents a significant opportunity to bring new industrial activity and skilled employment to Weardale, while contributing to the UK’s ambition to develop a secure domestic supply of critical minerals.
“The North East already has a strong automotive and battery manufacturing sector, and our ambition is to establish lithium production in County Durham as an important part of that supply chain. This investment will help us progress the preparatory work needed to bring our plans to fruition, supporting the development of a new industry with the potential to deliver lasting economic benefits for the region.”
