Cornish Lithium

Cornish Lithium is a mineral exploration and development company founded by Jeremy Wrathall in 2016, focused on creating a domestic supply of lithium for the United Kingdom. Wrathall, a graduate of the Camborne School of Mines with over 30 years of experience in mining and finance, was inspired by historical records from 1864 detailing high concentrations of lithium in Cornwall's geothermal waters.

The company is developing projects to extract lithium from two main sources: geothermal waters and hard rock. Its geothermal projects, such as the one at Cross Lanes near Chacewater, involve drilling deep wells to extract hot, lithium-rich brine. The firm then uses Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology to separate the lithium before reinjecting the water, a process with a lower environmental footprint than traditional methods. In March 2025, the company received planning permission to build the UK's first commercial geothermal lithium production facility. Its hard rock operations, like the Trelavour Project near St Dennis, are based in former china clay pits. Here, lithium-bearing granite is processed to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide.

Cornish Lithium serves the growing market for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and large-scale energy storage, aiming to reduce the UK's reliance on imported lithium. The business model is centered on exploration, development, and eventual production and sale of lithium compounds. The company has secured significant funding to advance its projects toward commercial production. In August 2023, it received an initial investment of £53.6 million ($67 million) led by the UK Infrastructure Bank, The Energy & Minerals Group, and existing shareholder TechMet. This was followed by a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised a further £5.1 million. In June 2025, Jamie Airnes was appointed CEO to lead the company's transition from R&D to full-scale operations, with founder Jeremy Wrathall moving to the role of Executive Chairman to oversee strategy.

Keywords: lithium extraction, geothermal brine, hard rock mining, battery metals, direct lithium extraction, DLE, UK critical minerals, Cornwall mining, renewable energy, electric vehicles, sustainable mining, Jeremy Wrathall, Trelavour Project, energy transition, UK Infrastructure Bank, green technology, cleantech, mineral exploration, lithium hydroxide, energy storage