Suche
Lithium search in Thuringia: A race for valuable raw materials!
Thuringia is looking for lithium in several districts to meet the increasing demand for electric cars. Companies request investigations.
Lithium search in Thuringia: A race for valuable raw materials!
Something exciting is happening in the world of raw materials in the Thuringian Basin. The search for lithium deposits has begun in several counties and the regional population is now required to follow developments closely. Loud n-tv The districts of Eichsfeld, Nordhausen, Kyffhäuserkreis, Sömmerda, Weimarer Land, Ilm-Kreis, Gotha, Wartburgkreis as well as the independent cities of Weimar and Erfurt are affected. A company has already started its own search there and discovered evidence of lithium content in deep water.
On June 12, the company submitted an application for authorization for further investigations, which is currently being processed. In addition to lithium, the company also aims to find manganese and zinc. However, as expected, test drilling requires additional applications. The interest in lithium is not accidental, as this raw material is essential for the production of batteries for electric cars.
Lithium in the focus of the industry
The increasing demand for electric cars in particular is sparking interest in lithium. Esso has also submitted an application to investigate possible lithium deposits in parts of Thuringia. The area that Esso calls “Thuringia-Nord” includes in particular the Wartburgkreis and the Unstrut-Hainich-Kreis, such as MDR reported. A spokesman for the state office was unable to name exactly the districts affected, but informed communities such as Hörselberg-Hainich and Drei Gleichen should receive more clarity in the next few months.
The reason for the research is clear: lithium has become one of the most sought-after raw materials in the world. The resource is needed more urgently than ever in electrical production. The forecasts show that global demand for lithium will increase, while production is still lagging behind. How Research and knowledge notes, Europe could face a significant shortage of 467,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate by 2030.
The main producing countries such as Chile, Argentina, China and Australia are currently the key players in the market, while Germany has untapped lithium reserves. According to experts at Fraunhofer IEG, Germany could play a more important role in the future, but would have to initiate the appropriate measures and investments to achieve this.
A look into the future
The experts agree: Without the expansion of lithium production and effective research into new battery technologies, things will be difficult for the electric car segment. So it remains exciting to see to what extent the initiative can bear fruit in Thuringia. Only time will tell whether and when the first successes will appear. One thing is clear, however: in the fast-moving world of electric vehicles, lithium will remain popular.
The coming months are likely to be of utmost importance not only for the affected communities, but for the entire Thuringia region when it comes to taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the emerging lithium market.