BrineRIS: Brines of Ris Countries as a Source of CRM and Energy Supply

Introduction

Limited access to critical raw materials (CRM) is the main obstacle to developing the high-tech and battery sectors. Thanks to the striking development of efficient soluble elements recovery technologies, highly mineralised water (brine) is a potential unconventional source of metals. Usually occurring at great depths, under high pressure and hot temperatures, brines mineralised up to 300-350 g/L may contain economic concentrations of metallic elements, such as CRM from EU 2021 list (Li, Mg, Sr), Na, Ba and others. Exploring non-obvious resources, such as brines and innovative technologies, to ensure sustainable exploitation will increase the feasibility of a secured European supply of battery metals.
The technology needed to recover metallic elements from brines is under development. Furthermore, the location of brines with reliable and stable sources of metals is still an open question.

The BrineRIS project will locate brines in Europe suitable for economically feasible metal recovery and test the emerging recovery technologies in the laboratory. Focusing on RIS countries of the Iberian Peninsula and Visegrad Group, in which thermal brine resources are proven, the BrineRIS project will deliver verified information on brines enriched in Li and other valuable elements. Special attention will be paid to existing mine water inflows and operating geothermal wells. The use of the available thermal energy on brines enables a regenerative supply of buildings with heat and cold. Crucially, the BrineRIS interactive platform will be developed based on the structure of the European Lithium Institute’s Li-projects database. The data gathered on available brine deposits, current projects, legal matters, and technological assessment for metal recovery and geothermal energy production serve as the foreground for future projects and European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA) investment cases. Good practice, experience, and know-how will be shared by testing emerging recovery technologies under development by non-RIS partners (Ghent University, Geological Survey of Finland, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology) in RIS – countries. Thus, BrineRIS will foster innovation and entrepreneurship, result in job opportunities and build the RM capacity of RIS partner countries.

The project is co-financed by The EIT RawMaterials.

Project manager: Małgorzata Szlachta

 

 

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