Mining plans are now undergoing an environmental impact assessment. The final feasibility study, which should provide an answer to how the extracted mineral would be processed, should be completed in May next year.
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There are two variants of lithium processing in the game. “We would like to decide on the method we will use for processing in 2023, so that we will be able to start production in 2025, so that this schedule meets the schedule for the use of lithium in the production of batteries, especially in electric cars,” said Beneš.
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The planned factory for batteries for electric cars, the so-called gigafactory, could produce batteries with a capacity of more than 30 gigawatt-hours, which is enough for 400 to 800 thousand cars a year. “Gigafactory is always building a consortium of technology partner, energy developer and partner from the automotive industry. We would like to make a decision on the final consortium by the end of the year, “said Beneš.
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The factory is to grow in the area of the power plant
The factory would be in the area of the former brown coal power plant Prunéřov 1 in the Chomutov region, which last year ČEZ could be built in 2025. It could employ people working in lignite quarries, where coal mining should end by 2038. “Several hundred new jobs will be created in the region. Of course, we expect to use our employees, “said Beneš.
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Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (for YEAR) said that once the construction was decided, work would begin on expanding the surrounding road infrastructure.
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On the Czech and German side of Cínovec, about three percent of the world’s known lithium reserves are present. Geomet, in which the semi-state ČEZ has a majority stake, expects mining to begin in 2025. “In the preliminary feasibility study, we had it by extracting 35 million tons of rock in 20 years, about 1.7 million tons per year,” said the director. CEZ Development Project Management Department Pavel Čmelík.
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According to him, experts have already stated that if there is interest, the recoverable part can be significantly higher. It is expected to produce 22,500 tons of lithium hydroxide per year, which could be 500,000 tons of lithium product in twenty years. According to Čmelík, the price of lithium hydroxide is now around $ 15,000 per tonne.
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