Vulcan Energy Starts Making Its Own Lithium Extraction Material Cutting China Risk
Key Takeaways
- Vulcan Energy has commenced commercial-scale manufacturing of VULSORB®, its proprietary aluminate-based adsorbent, in Germany — a direct critical-path step toward Project Lionheart's H2 2028 commissioning target.
- VULSORB® has been validated through thousands of operating cycles at industrial demonstration scale, achieving up to 95% lithium extraction efficiency under real-world conditions.
- China imposed export controls on A-DLE technology in early 2025, making Vulcan's fully ex-China, western IP-backed VULSORB® one of the only commercially bankable alternatives available to the global lithium industry.
- First fill volumes for the A-DLE extraction columns will be manufactured over the next 18 to 24 months in collaboration with a local tolling partner, ahead of Lionheart commissioning.
- Beyond Lionheart, VULSORB® is intended to scale across Project Ludwig and the broader Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field, with selective global licensing planned through Vulcan's VULTEC technology arm.
Vulcan begins commercial scale production of its proprietary VULSORB® lithium extraction material
Vulcan Energy has commenced commercial scale production of its proprietary lithium extraction adsorbent, VULSORB®, in Germany. The milestone marks the start of manufacturing first fill volumes for the Adsorption-type Direct Lithium Extraction (A-DLE) columns ahead of Project Lionheart commissioning, targeted for H2 2028. This is not a standalone research and development event — it is a direct project execution step on the critical path to first commercial lithium production.
VULSORB® has been validated through thousands of operating cycles at industrial demonstration scale, achieving up to 95% lithium extraction efficiency under real-world conditions.
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What is VULSORB® and why does it matter?
VULSORB® is Vulcan’s proprietary aluminate-based adsorbent. In plain terms, it is the material that selectively captures lithium from geothermal brine, the warm saline water found deep underground in the Upper Rhine Valley. “Adsorption” means lithium ions bind to the surface of the material as brine passes through, separating lithium from everything else in the fluid.
A-DLE technology works by cycling brine through columns packed with this adsorbent material, extracting lithium at high efficiency and then releasing it in a concentrated form for further processing into battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHM). LHM is the end product required by battery manufacturers. A-DLE has been deployed commercially for decades and is increasingly the preferred brine processing method globally.
VULSORB® is not just technically significant. Its strategic value lies in what it is not: it is not Chinese technology. Key properties of VULSORB® include:
- Aluminate-based adsorbent formulation with a proprietary manufacturing method
- Validated through thousands of cycles at industrial demonstration scale
- Produced battery-grade lithium hydroxide at demonstration scale
- Fully ex-China supply chain with western intellectual property
These properties matter enormously in the current market environment.
The geopolitical edge — supply chain independence in a restricted market
China is the world’s largest provider of A-DLE technology. In early 2025, China placed export controls and strict licensing arrangements on overseas shipments of A-DLE technology and associated products. This is not a hypothetical future risk. It is an active constraint on the global lithium industry’s ability to access one of the most effective brine processing technologies available.
VULSORB® positions Vulcan as one of the only western companies with a commercially bankable, independently owned A-DLE capability — developed entirely with western intellectual property and produced through a European manufacturing supply chain.
Vulcan’s Managing Director and CEO, Cris Moreno, captured the strategic weight of the milestone:
Cris Moreno, Managing Director and CEO
“A-DLE technology is increasingly being embraced by major companies as the industry’s brine technology choice. VULSORB® is one of the very few commercially bankable adsorption-based DLE technologies supported by western intellectual property and a fully ex-China supply chain. At a time when access to critical mineral technologies is becoming increasingly strategic, this provides Vulcan with greater supply chain security, reduced geopolitical risk and enhanced project execution certainty.”
The announcement also notes that VULSORB® supports Europe’s ambition to establish domestic critical raw materials production, directly aligning with the continent’s energy security and supply chain resilience policy objectives.
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Lionheart on track — what comes next
Vulcan will manufacture VULSORB® in collaboration with its local tolling partner over the next 18 to 24 months, preparing first fill volumes for the A-DLE extraction columns ahead of Lionheart commissioning.
Vulcan’s ability to begin commercial scale VULSORB® manufacturing rests on a regulatory foundation secured earlier this year, when the company obtained its lithium production permit in Germany, becoming the first company to achieve this milestone in the country.
Beyond Lionheart, VULSORB® is intended to underpin Vulcan’s broader Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field (URVBF) strategy. The company’s stated “design one, build many” approach means the same proven technology platform is expected to scale across Project Ludwig and further growth phases. Vulcan also plans to selectively licence VULSORB® globally through its VULTEC technology arm, providing potential exposure to lithium brine fields in other jurisdictions. The source notes this as a future strategic option rather than a contracted arrangement.
The table below summarises the key parameters for Project Lionheart, based on the Bridging Engineering Study announced on 16 November 2023.
| Project | Target capacity | Co-product output | Estimated project life | Commissioning target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Lionheart | 24,000 tonnes LHM per annum (~500,000 EV batteries/year) | 275 GWh renewable power + 560 GWh heat per annum | ~30 years | H2 2028 |
The sequence of next steps disclosed in the announcement is:
- Manufacture VULSORB® with the tolling partner over the next 18 to 24 months
- Supply first fill volumes for A-DLE extraction columns ahead of Lionheart commissioning in H2 2028
- Scale VULSORB® across the URVBF for Project Ludwig and further growth phases
- Selectively licence the technology globally via the VULTEC technology arm
For investors tracking Vulcan’s progress, this milestone reduces a key area of project execution risk. Control over the adsorbent material at the heart of the lithium extraction process — with no reliance on Chinese technology or supply chains — strengthens both the commercial foundations of Lionheart and the credibility of the URVBF expansion strategy.
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