EMILI Project: French Government Invests EUR 50 Million in Imerys Lithium Venture

On February 11, the EMILI Project advanced significantly in Europe’s battery raw material landscape as Imerys confirmed that Banque des Territoires, acting on behalf of the Government of France, will acquire a minority stake in the initiative. The strategic capital infusion strengthens France’s objective to secure domestic lithium resources and reinforce the regional EV battery supply chain. The transaction, expected to close in the coming months, represents a structured public-private partnership model supporting Europe’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle ecosystem.

EMILI Project Gains Strategic State Support

The EUR 50 million commitment is structured to accelerate development of the EMILI Project, with primary emphasis on completing the definitive feasibility study targeted for early 2027. This phase will rigorously evaluate technical configuration, environmental performance parameters, and economic scalability for industrial lithium production. By supporting the Imerys lithium project at a pre-final investment decision stage, the French government lithium strategy demonstrates institutional confidence in domestic mining capabilities and Europe’s long-term objective to reduce dependency on imported battery-grade raw materials.

Focus on Feasibility and Financial Structuring

• Advanced geological modeling and metallurgical validation programs to confirm resource recovery efficiency and processing stability

• Comprehensive environmental impact assessments aligned with European regulatory benchmarks

• Capital structuring, risk allocation modeling, and stakeholder financing frameworks required before final investment approval

Achieving the lithium feasibility study 2027 milestone remains pivotal to unlocking full-scale execution. It will provide technical and financial clarity to stakeholders across the European electric vehicle market, where predictable lithium supply is fundamental to battery manufacturing scale-up, cell production localization, and gigafactory capacity planning.

Beauvoir Deposit to Anchor Lithium Mining in France

The EMILI Project, short for Exploitation de Mica Lithinifère, is focused on extraction and processing of lithium-bearing mica from the Beauvoir deposit in the Allier region of central France. The Beauvoir lithium deposit is recognized as one of Europe’s most strategically significant hard rock lithium resources. Once operational, the Allier lithium project is projected to deliver sufficient lithium volumes to support battery production for approximately 700,000 electric vehicles annually, strengthening the EV battery supply chain Europe is systematically building to serve the passenger car segment.

Balancing Output with Environmental Responsibility

A core pillar of the EMILI Project is integrating industrial-scale lithium output with controlled environmental impact. The development framework incorporates sustainable lithium extraction methodologies, closed-loop or optimized water management systems, progressive land rehabilitation planning, and minimized surface disturbance design. As lithium mining in France progresses, the project is positioned to demonstrate that domestic resource development can comply with stringent European environmental standards while reinforcing supply security for the continent’s accelerating transition toward electrified mobility.
By synchronizing state-backed capital with established industrial expertise, the EMILI Project strengthens France’s strategic position within Europe’s battery materials value chain and enhances long-term supply resilience for the expanding electric vehicle market.