Recently, German resource enterprise Neptune Energy announced that Sproule, an international evaluation company commissioned by the institution, confirmed that the proven reserves of lithium ore resources in the Altmark region of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, reached 43 million mt LCE, indicating that Germany possesses one of the world's largest lithium deposits.
International evaluation agency Sproule ERCE conducted a systematic assessment of the lithium resources in the Altmark region using the internationally recognized CIM/NI43-101 standard. The evaluation results showed that the 43 million mt LCE reserves instantly drew global attention to this mining area located in north-central Germany.
The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act sets clear targets for strategic raw materials such as lithium: by 2030, 10% of these raw materials will be mined within Europe, 40% will be processed within Europe, and no more than 65% can originate from any single third country. The existence of the Altmark lithium mine provides a solid guarantee for the EU to achieve this goal.
Unlike traditional lithium mining methods, Neptune Energy employs an environmentally friendly technology called "direct lithium extraction." This method eliminates the need for open-pit mining and does not rely on evaporation ponds, extracting the lithium element directly from underground brine.
In August 2025, the company, in partnership with technology partner Lilac, successfully produced battery-grade lithium carbonate from Altmark brine in its second DLE pilot project; in September of the same year, a third pilot project focusing on adsorption processes was also launched. These technological breakthroughs paved the way for subsequent commercial production.
As a core raw material for power batteries, the stability of its supply is directly related to the development of the European EV industry. As countries successively set carbon neutrality targets, the demand for EVs has experienced explosive growth, leading to a corresponding surge in demand for lithium resources.
Currently, the European EV market is developing rapidly, with EVs accounting for 18% of the global automotive market in 2023. However, Europe's dependence on external sources for its battery supply chain remains high, particularly regarding the autonomous supply of lithium resources, which is severely insufficient. This discovery will significantly enhance Europe's autonomy within the EV industry chain.
Despite the bright prospects, there is still a path to travel from resource confirmation to large-scale mass production. Neptune Energy needs to further complete technical pilot testing, a detailed environmental impact assessment, and the final investment decision.
