The brief

Analyst view

• Eramet traces to 1880 nickel mining in New Caledonia. Now diversified: nickel, manganese, special steel, and lithium.
• Centenario-Ratones DLE plant in Argentina reached 90% of 24 kt-LCE capacity by June 2026, targeting 100% by year-end.
• Phase 1 extension approved for study; expansion to 35 kt-LCE planned, FID targeted for Q4 2027.

Technical approach

As reported

Direct lithium extraction

DLE from lithium brines

Centenario-Ratones extracts lithium directly from underground brines, avoiding large solar evaporation ponds and reducing water use.

Fully integrated

Brine-to-carbonate facility

Unlike many DLE projects, Centenario-Ratones produces lithium carbonate ready for markets, not just extracted brine.

Industrial scale

First fully integrated facility outside China

Integrates DLE extraction and lithium carbonate production at commercial scale, proving the end-to-end process outside China.