The French industrial minerals group Imerys announced on Monday that one of the largest European lithium mines will see the light of day by 2027 in France, in the Massif Central.
The company and the State insist on this “exemplary environmental project” which will allow France to get rid of its dependence on China in this market.
20 Minutes
returns to this giga project and its economic and environmental consequences with the support of Maria-Eugenia Sanin, lecturer in economics at the University of Paris Saclay and expert in energy and the environment.
France wants to put aside the gas pump in favor of white powder.
This Monday morning, the French industrial minerals group Imerys announced the Emili project, the launch of one of the largest European lithium mines.
This alkali metal is used in batteries that nestle in every corner of our daily lives: cars, smartphones, computers, etc.
In the era of all technology and energy transition, is this excavation project in the heart of the Massif Central good news?
What challenge does this resource represent for France and Europe?
20 Minutes
examines these questions, thanks to the insight of Maria-Eugenia Sanin, lecturer in economics at the University of Paris Saclay.
Why is lithium a key issue?
"Lithium is precious and will be more and more so with the energy transition and a limited supply", underlines Maria-Eugenia Sanin, lecturer in economics at the University of Paris Saclay.
There are only about ten European lithium exploitation projects and they are mostly modest.
The Emili project, which should see the light of day in Beauvoir in the Allier (center) by 2027, aims to reduce Europe's dependence on China on the lithium front.
Especially since time is running out: the European Union will ban the sale of new vehicles that are not electric from 2035.
But the issue of lithium goes well beyond the car fleet.
All batteries need this alkali metal to function.
Many everyday objects are therefore dependent on it and our energy system will increasingly rely on batteries.
"In Europe, it is not often mentioned, but a system that uses a lot of renewable energies relies on many batteries to compensate," explains the energy and environment expert.
In other words, when there is no wind, wind turbines are useless but the energy they have created on days when the mistral blows can be stored with batteries.
“It's true that renewable energy depends on the wind, but gas depends on Vladimir Putin,” underlines Maria-Eugenia Sanin with a smile.
Especially since by creating a “well interconnected network”, a country can be supplied by renewable energies, she adds.
When the sun is in the firmament, the photovoltaic panels shine, when the wind is strong, it is the turn of the wind turbines to take over.
At a time of electrification of our energies, lithium is therefore an essential ingredient, but its price has exploded since 2021.
Will this career help reduce our dependence on China?
Imerys plans to produce "34,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year from 2028 for a period of at least 25 years" while the current global production of lithium carbonate or hydroxide, the two elements used in batteries, does not does not exceed 450,000 tonnes worldwide.
In less than twenty years, it should be multiplied by 40 according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
But “this is not the main issue”, assures the expert Maria-Eugenia Sanin from the outset.
“On the market, currently, lithium is only produced at six sites worldwide and the vast majority comes from Australia and South America”, not from China, she explains.
If it is true that European lithium extraction is Lilliputian, the Middle Kingdom is far from being the leading supplier.
However, our batteries are well stamped Beijing, in their vast majority: faithful to its reputation of "workshop of the world", China assembles batteries from all over the world.
“If we wanted to be efficient and fast, we would have to be able to produce the batteries ourselves.
We have the necessary industrial know-how and that would make it possible to reduce our dependence on China much more than the extraction of lithium within our borders", deciphers Maria-Eugenia Sanin, who adds that it would be completely possible to develop partnerships with Australia or South American countries so that they send us the raw materials needed to assemble the batteries.
Developing this sector would also make it possible to work on the recycling of batteries while some of their components are polluting and are becoming increasingly rare (such as copper).
Does this mine present an environmental risk?
Imerys particularly insisted on respect for the environment when presenting its Emili project.
An unsurprising line of communication when you know that in January 2022, the Anglo-Australian company Rio Tinto had to abandon its lithium mine project in Serbia in the face of public protest.
The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, assured that the project was "exemplary in environmental and climatic terms" and the French government supports Imerys' ambition.
The group estimates emissions at 8 kg of CO2 per ton of lithium, against 16 to 20 kg in Australia and China, according to him.
“CO2 is not really the problem.
These are emissions that warm the entire planet so if they are released in China, Chile or France, it's the same thing.
The important question is the local environmental impacts”, reacts Maria-Eugenia Sanin.
And the latter worry the associations.
The vice-president of France Nature Environnement, Antoine Gavet, protested to AFP about the "myth of the clean mine", assuring that this project would inevitably cause "water pollution" and "significant quantities of waste that we do not know how to manage”.
For the lecturer, “by choosing to exploit a lithium resource in Europe, you have to adhere to very strict environmental conditions”.
Especially since Europe is highly urbanized, unlike other countries - unlike central Australia, for example, which is much more desert-like.
The environmental assessment of the project will make it possible to know the effects on biodiversity but also on the local economy, the health of the inhabitants of the Massif Central, etc.
So, for Maria-Eugenia Sanin, “whether this lithium mine is a good idea or not depends on the environmental assessment”.
An eagerly awaited review.
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