Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHTConverter
LCA of battery-grade lithium
Fraunhofer UMSICHT conducted a Life Cycle Assessment for battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM) for the German-Canadian company RockTech. They plan to build a Converter in Guben (Lausitz) in order to serve the electromobility sector. The results: The LCA shows a base case carbon footprint of 10.5 kg per kilogram of battery-grade LHM. Under optimal conditions, the LCA also demonstrates potential to further decrease emissions significantly to 5.4 kg.
Fraunhofer UMSICHT has assessed the “cradle-to-gate” ecological impact of battery-grade LHM produced at Rock Tech’s Guben Converter with focus on the carbon footprint. The base case for the carbon footprint is calculated to be 10.5 kg CO2-eq/kg LHM including all upstream emissions, and the assumed longest distance of transportation from Australia to Germany. In the three scenarios assessed in the LCA, the main sources of emissions per 1 kilogram of LHM were attributed to the energy supply for the Guben Converter (average grid mix electricity, natural gas, and steam, excl. transport) with 4.3 kg CO2-eq., mining and concentration of spodumene with 3.8 kg CO2-eq, and transportation and shipping of spodumene concentrate with 0.7 kg CO2-eq. The LCA study was additionally subjected to a critical review by DEKRA in accordance with the standards ISO 14071:2006 (section 4.3.3) and ISO 14044:2006 (section 6.2).
Potential for lower emissions
"From the point of view of the literature, Rock Tech thus achieves a good value in the upper spectrum", explains Markus Hiebel from Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Furthermore, a theoretical carbon footprint of 5.4 kg CO2 eq./kg LHM is possible through a targeted commercial selection of material and energy suppliers.
Changing electricity supply from an average grid mix to renewable sources only, could reduce the footprint by more than 20 percent compared to the base scenario. Spodumene mining also creates a large potential for improvement. Considering supply from Rock Tech’s own Georgia Lake Project in Ontario, Canada, or through lower emissions reported by some existing Australian mining companies, could further reduce the footprint significantly.