Czech lithium mining feasibility study due in second half of this year
The feasibility study for lithium mining at Cínovec in the Ore Mountains is expected to be completed in the second half of this year. Preparations for financing the project will be discussed this autumn. ČEZ Vice-Chairman Pavel Cyrani said this in response to shareholders’ questions at today’s general meeting of the energy group. He said all permits should then be approved by mid-2027, with mining expected to begin by the end of 2030.
Cyrani also recalled that the lithium processing plant will be relocated. It will be built on the site of the former Prunéřov I power plant in the Chomutov district, rather than near Újezdeček by Teplice. He said mining would not have a significant environmental impact and should not adversely affect local residents. Support for mining has risen significantly since the plant was relocated, both around the neighbouring Dukla settlement and in Prunéřov, Cyrani added. However, residents raised objections at a public hearing on a proposed update to the Ústí nad Labem Region’s spatial development principles, held in early June. They are concerned, for example, about dust and excessive noise from the trains that will carry the ore.
In March, the government approved the designation of lithium reserves in the Cínovec area as a deposit of strategic importance. According to the cabinet, the site contains lithium of a quality suitable for use in batteries for electric vehicles and other devices, for example. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said the measure is intended to make it easier to mine the raw material in the future, if needed, and to prevent possible supply disruptions.
Lithium is considered a metal of the future. According to estimates, around three percent of the world’s reserves are in Czechia, the vast majority at Cínovec and a small amount in the Slavkov Forest. The deposit near Cínovec is the largest in Europe. The possibility of mining lithium in Czechia became one of the topics of debate ahead of the 2017 parliamentary elections.
Translation disclaimer
This article is a machine translation of the Czech original and has not yet been fully reviewed. In case of any doubt, please refer to the Czech version.
