French President Emmanuel Macron called for simplifying procedures for developing strategic projects as he inaugurated a lithium mine in Echassières, central France, on Wednesday, April 23. “What we want for France and Europe requires us to move faster,” Macron said. “There is no reason why we can rebuild Notre-Dame de Paris in five years, yet sometimes take more than five years to complete an industrial project or a chicken farm.”
Starting in 2030, the mine in Echassières operated by the multinational company Imerys will produce 34,000 metric tons of lithium hydroxide per year, enough to provide batteries for 700,000 electric vehicles. Located in the heart of the Beauvoir mines – producers of kaolin for porcelain since the 19th century and among the five largest hard-rock lithium deposits in the world – lithium will be extracted via underground tunnels reaching down to 400 meters, then transported by pipeline and rail to a processing plant in Saint-Victor, near Montluçon.
Alessandro Dazza, CEO of Imerys, announced the creation of more than 1,500 direct and indirect jobs for the entire operation, “as part of optimal water management.” According to President Macron, the mining of lithium-bearing mica, an essential component in electric batteries, aligns with European ambitions for decarbonization and electrification of transport, which account for more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. “Our goal is to produce 1.5 million electric vehicles. That means we can secure half with this site, while the battery and electric vehicle sector currently relies on Chinese imports for 70% of its supply,” he said.
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