Tees Valley Lithium

Tees Valley Lithium is developing a merchant lithium refinery in the Billingham chemical cluster on Teesside. The plant will convert lithium feedstock from domestic and international suppliers into battery-grade lithium hydroxide using Veolia's process technology. Phase 1 is a £185 million development with an initial capacity of 25,000 tonnes a year, with scope to scale to 100,000 tonnes a year.

The company buys feedstock on the open market from multiple sources and sells battery-grade lithium to customers. It also offers tolling for customers that supply their own material. Target customers include cathode manufacturers, cell manufacturers and OEMs. The company has a binding offtake agreement with Glencore and a feedstock agreement with Wogen, and is backed by Alkemy Capital Investments Plc.

The company was founded in 2022 and is headquartered in Darlington, with its refinery site in Billingham. The UK Government has made an offer in principle of a capital grant of up to £18.3 million under its DRIVE35 programme, subject to final approvals. Tees Valley Lithium is also establishing a Qualification and Validation Centre at the Billingham Chemical Complex, where customers can validate its lithium hydroxide in their own production lines.

Product: Battery-grade lithium hydroxide produced by refining lithium feedstock, sold as merchant supply or offered as tolling refining.