As part of the EU-funded CRM-geothermal project, an innovation bootcamp for policymakers, operators, and mining professionals was organised at Vulcan Energy Resources’ sites in Insheim and Landau (Germany) on 8 September 2025.
The event was co-organised by CRM-geothermal project partners Vulcan Energy Resources, the European Federation of Geologists (EFG), GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, and INTRAW.
The event, titled ‘Invisible Mining in Action‘, combined presentations with guided visits to geothermal and lithium facilities, giving participants a first-hand view of how zero-carbon lithium can be produced from geothermal brine.
On the bus to Insheim, participants were introduced to the broader project and to the industrial and geological context of the Upper Rhine Valley:
- Project coordinator Katrin Kieling provided an overview of the CRM-geothermal project and its research performed in the field of combined energy/mineral extraction.
- Reza Toufighi from Vulcan introduced the Phase 1 Lionheart zero-carbon project, which adapts commercially proven technology to produce battery-grade lithium from geothermal brine: https://v-er.eu/phase-one-lionheart.
- Christoph Hilgers from BDG, EFG National Association from Germany and an Affiliated Entity of the project, introduced the geology of the Upper Rhine Valley and explained what makes it so appropriate for the combined extraction technology.
The ‘Invisible Mining in Action’ bootcamp featured several site visits where participants experienced geothermal energy and lithium extraction technologies in practice:
- Geothermal power plant, Insheim: Guided by Jijo Thunduvila Johnson (Vulcan), showing how renewable power is supplied to nearly 9,000 households (more here).
- Lithium Extraction Optimisation Plant (LEOP), Landau: With Thomas Aicher and Jean-Baptiste Bertin (both from Vulcan) explaining the step-by-step process of lithium extraction from geothermal brine (details here).
- VERCANA V-20 drilling rig, Insheim: Where participants observed the latest drilling operations (see more).
Vulcan Energy Resources is one of the Strategic Projects under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, with the potential to make a significant contribution to Europe’s raw material security. Thanks to the high salinity of geothermal brine, around one gram of lithium can be produced per litre, a unique opportunity to supply battery-grade lithium sustainably and at scale.
CRM-geothermal thanks all the participants for their interest in our project and expresses a particular thanks to MEP Jens Geier, Federica Miccoli (European Commission) and Dumitru Fornea (European Economic and Social Committee) who could accommodate the event in their busy policy agendas.
Special thanks go to Vulcan Energy Resources for hosting the “Invisible Mining in Action” bootcamp and showcasing their pioneering work.
Stay tuned for more updates on CRM-geothermal activities!
