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Northern Lithium successfully concludes 60-day long term pump tests and demonstration scale Direct Lithium Extraction trials
DURHAM, England , June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Lithium Ltd. ("Northern Lithium or the Company") is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of its recent programme of long term 60-day pump tests and Direct Lithium Extraction ("DLE") trials, which sought to further prove the commercial viability of lithium extraction from brines under the Northern Pennine Orefield in Co. Durham , Northeast of England .
Nick Pople , Northern Lithium Managing Director, said,
Detailed analysis and interpretation of data collected over the 60-day pump testing period has confirmed and strengthened the results achieved during initial 30-day tests in 2024. In particular, the tests have provided:
(i) further confirmation of consistent, economically viable concentrations of lithium in the brines abstracted throughout the test period, underpinning the input assumptions used in the Company's current project economic model, and
(ii) confirmed the commercial suitability of the sub-surface hydrogeological formation, through a sustained programme of simultaneous abstraction and reinjection of brines at higher flow rates and for a longer period than previously tested.
In a UK first, the demonstration scale trials of Evove Ltd's ("Evove") unique next-generation advanced Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology was a resounding success, proving the plant design and meeting critical production KPIs, including lithium recovery rates and product purity levels. The project is believed to be one of only a handful that have been concluded at this scale world-wide outside China .
Trial data was collected by Evove to inform the design of several process efficiency innovations, most notably the cascade operation of ultra selective nanofiltration membranes which are at the heart of this next-generation DLE system. The membranes' proven capability to remove nearly all impurities (especially calcium and magnesium) at the start of the DLE process creates significant efficiencies that translate to superior economics and a viable business case for decentralised production.
Evove's modelling, derived from 78 million data points gathered through the processing of 3.5 million litres of Northen Lithium brines, indicates a commercial end-to-end lithium recovery rate of up to 92% from raw brine to final battery-grade product, surpassing the initial project target modelled at 80%, and a purity of lithium chloride/sulfate product produced of up to 96.5%. This exceptional purity simplifies the midstream conversion process to lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide products used in electrical batteries, proving the suitability of Northern Lithium brines and Evove's DLE process, using combined membrane filtration and ion exchange stages, to meet domestic lithium demand and, critically, indicating lower capex and processing costs.
Nick Pople said,
Chris Wyres , CEO of DLE technology firm Evove, said,
Northern Lithium and Evove will now proceed with detailed design engineering for the first fully functioning commercial scale DLE production unit, with operation targeted for end of 2027. In parallel, samples of lithium product produced from the recent trials will be used in discussions with potential off-take partners.
Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland, said
In September 2024 , the Company set out to raise up to GBP6 million to fund its operations and next stage development programme through to the end of Q1 2026, aiming to raise an initial tranche ("Tranche 1") of up to GBP2.0 million to fund activities in H1 2025. Tranche 1 was closed at GBP3.45 million in Q1 2025, ahead of the 60-day pump tests and demo scale DLE trials. Marketing for a second tranche of funding ("Tranche 2"), of up to GBP2.5 million , will commence shortly.
Nick Pople added,
Tranche 2 will be deployed through the rest of 2025 and beginning of 2026 to cover an additional drilling programme along with the preparation and submission of full planning and permitting applications in readiness for next phase of commercial development work in 2026 and 2027. The Company will be assessing fundraising requirements for 2026 and beyond later this year.
It is forecast that the UK will need up to 80,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) per year by 2030 and as much as 135,000 tonnes per year by 2040. The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK said in its Q3 2024 Quarterly Automotive Demand Forecast ( January 2025 ) that Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) production in the UK is expected to top 1.1 million per annum by 2035 creating a demand for over 93 GWh of automotive batteries, from just 13 GWhs of demand in 2024.
In 2024 381,970 new fully electric cars were sold in the UK, a 20% market share of all new cars registered that year. More fully electric cars were sold in 2024 than any other and 21% more than 2023. The first quarter of 2025 closed with 21% of all new cars being fully electric, signifying a steady rise in the market share.
Battery requirements for grid scale energy storage are also increasing exponentially, adding to the supply chain pressure for lithium. Forecasts suggest global demand for lithium-ion batteries for grid scale energy storage could overtake EVs by 2050. The National Grid ESO, the electricity system operator for Great Britain , is forecasting that the UK will need nearly 200GWh of energy storage by 2050 against 5 GWh of operational grid-scale battery energy storage capacity at the end of 2024.
According to the International Lithium Association's report "Lithium 2040" ( May 2025 ), global lithium demand is expected to grow from 1.3Mt LCE today to between 3.6Mt and 5.2Mt LCE by 2040.
Established in 2017, Northern Lithium is a privately-owned innovative critical minerals development company, based in County Durham , Northeast of England , focused on delivering a secure domestic supply of lithium from the North East for UK gigafactories and the UK's electric vehicle and power storage industries, using sustainable extraction and production techniques.
Northern Lithium has up to 45 years' exclusive development, appraisal and production rights covering mineral rights owned by the Church Commissioners for England across circa. 240 sq kms (60,000 acres), of the North Pennine Orefield.
The Company is at the forefront of delivering a secure, sustainable domestic supply of lithium at scale for the UK, using its own UK sourced lithium brines, UK developed advanced DLE (Direct Lithium Extraction) technology and UK process engineering expertise. www.northernlithium.co.uk.
Evove deploys advanced technology to reduce the cost and environmental impact of the filtration and separation of fluids in lithium, data centres and food & beverage production, as well as in desalination and the treatment of industrial water. www.dle.technology
Nick Pople , Managing Director
e: nickpople@northernlithium.co.uk
t: +44 7788 665754
Richard Barton , RB Advisors
e: richard@rbacomms.com
t: +41 79 922 78 92
Andrew Walker
e: andrew.walker@evove.tech
t: +44 7450 583660
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