TheTechno Optimist.

LionheartVulcan Energy Resources—Vulcan breaks ground at Frankfurt lithium chemicals facility for LionheartLionheartVulcan Energy Resources—Lionheart project achieves financial close on €2.2 billion funding arrangementLionheartVulcan Energy Resources—Vulcan Energy secures €2.2 billion financing package for Lionheart projectLionheartVulcan Energy Resources—Sixth geothermal well completed ahead of schedule and under budget

Vulcan Energy Resources

Lionheart zero-carbon lithium, geothermal extraction

AU$1B est. market capest. 2018v-er.eu (opens v-er.eu)Checked 11 Oct

The brief

Analyst view
  • Zero-carbon lithium extraction from geothermal brines, avoiding mining's freshwater impact.
  • €2.2B Lionheart project in Germany achieved financial close May 2026; construction under way.
  • Target: 24 kt/yr lithium hydroxide, 275 GWh power, 560 GWh heat annually by 2028.

Technical approach

As reported
Geothermal Extraction

Direct lithium extraction from hot brines

Geothermal wells tap naturally warm brines. Extraction avoids freshwater waste and emissions of conventional hard-rock mining.

Integrated Energy

Renewable power co-production

The same geothermal wells that produce lithium also generate renewable electricity and heat, creating a fully integrated supply chain with no fossil fuels.

Industrial Scale

Nameplate capacity of 24 kt per year

Lionheart is sized for 500,000 EV batteries annually, enough to supply a major automaker, making it one of Europe's first flagship zero-carbon lithium sources.

Primer