Robust energy boosts the growing battery industry in Europe

Adven – News – Robust energy boosts the growing battery industry in Europe
27th November 2023
News Mining, Metals & Minerals

A robust energy solution will heat the concentrator plant of Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber lithium project in Kaustinen, Central Ostrobothnia, Finland. Here, the Keliber lithium project aims to produce spodumene concentrate from own mined ore and refine it into lithium hydroxide in the lithium refinery that is currently being built in Kokkola Industrial Park.

The energy solution as such is developed by Adven and combines biomass and electricity – enabling flexible, low-emission energy production as well as cost savings in a volatile energy market.

Sibanye-Stillwater’s Keliber lithium project has several lithium deposits in an area of more than 500 km² located in Central Ostrobothnia, Finland. The Keliber lithium project is majority owned by Sibanye-Stillwater, a multinational mining and metals processing Group, and is strategically positioned close to critical and growing battery markets for lithium hydroxide in Europe.

The production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide is also at the core of Finland’s national battery strategy as the country aims to become a competitive player in the global battery sector.
Adven is responsible for the energy solution to be implemented in Keliber’s concentrator, including the design, construction and, in the future, also energy production and the operation of the energy plant. In a couple of years, the concentrator will be heated with a solution that utilizes biofuels and electric boilers.

“The benefits offered by electric boilers as part of energy solutions represent the future. Energy production can be optimized between solid fuel and electricity, which offers cost benefits and, of course, lower emissions as fossil fuels are not needed at all”, says Sales Manager Arto Liikanen from Adven.

“It is also great to become an energy partner in a greenfield project that contributes to the needs of an electrifying world. We can be proud of this cooperation.”

The Keliber lithium project will have a significant impact on the Kaustinen area as well. The project involves local investments and aims to support regional suppliers and employes hundreds of employees in the future. Adven and Keliber will work closely together during the project, which was kicked off in November 2023. Energy production is expected to start in spring 2025.

The Keliber lithium project is an advanced lithium project, located in Kaustinen and Kokkola, Finland. The project aims to be the first European producer of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its own mined ore reserves, thus contributing towards the green transition by facilitating the electrification of transportation. The Keliber lithium project is being developed by Keliber Oy, a subsidiary of Sibanye-Stillwater, a multinational mining and metals processing Group, with Finnish Minerals Group, a state-owned company developing the value chain of lithium-ion batteries in Finland, the second largest shareholder. For more information on the project, refer to https://www.sibanyestillwater.com/business/europe/keliber/.

Sibanye-Stillwater is a multinational mining and metals processing Group with a diverse portfolio of mining and processing operations, projects and investments across five continents. The Group is also one of the foremost global recyclers of PGM autocatalysts and has interests in leading mine tailings retreatment operations.

Sibanye-Stillwater has established itself as one of the world’s largest primary producers of platinum, palladium, and rhodium and is also a top tier gold producer. It produces and refines iridium and ruthenium, nickel, chrome, copper and cobalt. The Group has recently begun to build and diversify its asset portfolio into battery metals mining and processing and is increasing its presence in the circular economy by growing and diversifying its recycling and tailings reprocessing operations globally.

For more information refer to www.sibanyestillwater.com.

The concentrator of the Keliber lithium project comprises several buildings and tanks. It will be built on the border of the Kaustinen and Kronoby enclaves. (3D image: Sweco Finland)

Keliber will manufacture battery-quality lithium hydroxide, the raw material of which is refined from ore extracted from its own mines. The picture shows drill cores.

Keliber’s final product, lithium hydroxide, is needed in electric car batteries.

More information:

Adven, Arto Liikanen, tel. +358 50 455 7439, arto.liikanen@adven.com

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